Compare towns
Dover vs Eliot vs Enfield 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
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Enfield has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
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 | Eliot | Enfield | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,146 |
4,475Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
58.3±5.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Enfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
7.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Enfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 17% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$95,474±$19k 18% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$390,800±$71kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,181±$563Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,203 99% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.8%±16.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Dover 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #5 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | 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 | 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.