Compare towns
Dover vs Plainfield 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).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Plainfield | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,522Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield 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% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest 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 |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Plainfield 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 |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
| Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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 |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest 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% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Plainfield 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.