Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Plymouth
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%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
6,601Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest 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%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
| Exeter and Dover 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±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
| Exeter and Dover 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 |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% 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 |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Dover 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 | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.