Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Keene vs Portsmouth
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 youngest population (median age 36.9).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
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 | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151Lowest |
22,939 |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% 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 |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest 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% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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 |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Portsmouth 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 |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1961 18 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
22 min 17% 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% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Keene School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | Keene High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1 |
12.3 |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.