Compare towns
Dorchester vs Exeter vs Carroll
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
Carroll has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Dorchester | Exeter | Carroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
16,151Highest |
659 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5 29% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
62.4±4.8Highest 44% above NH |
| Carroll and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
7%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
39.5%±4.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$64,821±$26kLowest 35% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$261,500±$42k 35% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,078±$241Lowest 28% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779 43% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$3,356Lowest 50% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
28%±47.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
22 minLowest 19% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
4.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Dorchester 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 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.