Compare towns
Dover vs Hanover vs Exeter
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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Hanover | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
11,685Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest 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% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Exeter 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% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.