Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Hanover
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%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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 | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
8,479Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | — |
| 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 |
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.