Compare towns
Dover vs Newington 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).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Newington | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
939Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% 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% |
15.7%±4.9Lowest 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% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 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 |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% 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±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% 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 |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest 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 |
| School district | Dover School District | Newington School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.