Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Hanover vs Rollinsford
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 ($825k median).
Rollinsford has the most affordable homes ($398k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Rollinsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
11,685 |
2,626Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
38.8±5.5 10% below NH |
| Exeter and Rollinsford 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% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Rollinsford and Exeter 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% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Rollinsford 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% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$89,500±$26kLowest 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$398,100±$33kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,809±$394 21% 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 | $8,249 24% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,851Lowest 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%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1Lowest 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% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
78.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Rollinsford 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 | #94 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Rollinsford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1 |
10.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.