Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Keene vs Newfields
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%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Keene | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
22,939 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
44.1±1.8 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Newfields 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Newfields and Exeter 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% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2 NH: 6% |
| Keene and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
| Newfields 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 |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Dover 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% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Newfields 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Keene School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | Keene High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.3 |
— |
| 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.