Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs New Boston
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 the oldest population (median age 45.8).
New Boston has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
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 | New Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
6,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+14.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
38.8±3.4 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
27.2%±5.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$154,250±$25kHighest 56% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$481,100±$59kHighest 20% above NH |
| New Boston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,193±$111Lowest 20% below NH |
| Exeter and Dover 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 |
$8,181Lowest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
22.8%±20.5Lowest 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
88%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±6.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| New Boston 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 | #21 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | New Boston School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.