Compare towns
Dover vs Enfield vs Exeter vs Meredith
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).
Enfield has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Enfield | Exeter | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
4,475Lowest |
16,151 |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
-2.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
58.3±5.4Highest 35% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Enfield and Meredith 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% |
7.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 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% |
30.7%±7.6 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Enfield 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% |
43%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±3.4Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 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±$7k 4% below NH |
$95,474±$19k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Exeter and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$390,800±$71kLowest about the NH average |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith 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 8% above NH |
$1,181±$563 21% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$6,203 7% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
17.8%±16.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 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% |
16.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
11%±5.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | #5 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.1 |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.