Compare towns
Dover vs Dunbarton vs Exeter vs Newfields
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Dover | Dunbarton | Exeter | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
3,097 |
16,151 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
44.1±1.8 about the NH average |
| Dunbarton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Dunbarton and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Newfields 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Dunbarton School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.