Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Marlboro vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Marlboro has the youngest population (median age 22.7).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Marlboro is a college town. 42.7% 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 | Exeter | Marlboro | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
16,151Highest |
1,362 |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+59.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
22.7±2.1Lowest 42% below U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
42.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$77,135±$10k 4% below U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$357,300±$55k 7% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,600±$824 13% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Marlboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,640 81% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±43.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±11.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marlboro 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Marlboro School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.