Compare towns
Dorset vs Exeter vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Dorset | Exeter | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092 |
16,151Highest |
434Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.3±8.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dorset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$151,875±$83kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Peru and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$400,000±$105kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489 140% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.