Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Hanover vs South Berwick
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
8,479 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%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% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Exeter 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. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | — | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.1Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
| 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.