Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Kittery vs Newfields
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%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Kittery | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
10,473 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest 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% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Dover 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 17% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Kittery Public Schools | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1 |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.