Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Durham vs Keene
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
15,080Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6 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%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
| Durham 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±$20k 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
| Durham 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 |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% 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 |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | Oyster River High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.3 |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 51 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.