Compare towns
Dover vs East Kingston vs Exeter
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).
East Kingston has the most homeowners (96.4%).
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.
| Measure | Dover | East Kingston | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,311Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
51.7±8.9Highest 19% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| East Kingston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
16.1%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.1%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| East Kingston and Exeter 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% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Exeter 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 |
$138,194±$38kHighest 40% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| East Kingston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$575,500±$56kHighest 43% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
— | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$9,604Highest 44% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
14.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1994Highest 15 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
32 minHighest 19% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.1%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| East Kingston 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | East Kingston School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 9 photos → | 59 photos → |
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.