Compare towns
Dover vs Henniker vs Exeter vs Newington
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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Exeter | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,197 |
16,151 |
939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
| Newington 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 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 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% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington 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% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
| Newington and Exeter 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 |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
| Newington and Exeter 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 |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Exeter 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% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Henniker School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.