Compare towns
Dorset vs Hanover vs Exeter
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 kids (24% under 18).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092Lowest |
11,685 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 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% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Hanover 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±$57k 71% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489Lowest 140% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Hanover 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset and Hanover 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.