Compare towns
Dover vs Eliot vs Exeter vs Holderness
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 oldest population (median age 50.8).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Exeter | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,146 |
16,151 |
1,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Holderness 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. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$363,100±$60kLowest 9% 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±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Holderness and Eliot 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. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,923Lowest 26% 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% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Holderness 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 |
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.