What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dartmouth has the most homeowners (76%).

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dartmouth	Exeter
People
Population	33,328Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.5±2Lowest 9% above U.S.	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
	Exeter and Dartmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Exeter and Dartmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Exeter and Dartmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$99,839±$8kLowest 24% above U.S.	$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.
	Exeter and Dartmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$496,500±$20kHighest 49% above U.S.	$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S.
	Dartmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$159Lowest 3% above U.S.	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,263Lowest 37% above U.S.	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Dartmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	12.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#115 of 282 in MA	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Dartmouth	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Dartmouth High	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	59 photos →

U.S. 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.