Compare towns
Concord vs Exeter vs Lee vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Concord | Exeter | Lee | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
16,151 |
4,576Lowest |
33,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Lee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Lee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
— | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Exeter High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | 12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 10 photos → | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.