Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Brookline vs Eliot
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).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Exeter | Brookline | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
5,736Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| 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% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline 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 17% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Eliot 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. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Brookline 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. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brookline School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.