Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Rochester
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%).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k 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 | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151Lowest |
33,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
43±1.8 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Rochester and Exeter 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% |
19.6%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1Lowest 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±$7k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$80,836±$3kLowest 18% 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 |
$279,100±$10kLowest 31% 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 |
$1,369±$72Lowest 8% 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 |
$5,334Lowest 20% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±7Lowest 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% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
66% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest 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 | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.1Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| 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.