Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Rochester 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).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
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 | Exeter | Rochester | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
16,151Highest |
1,389 |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above 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% |
10.4%±3.3 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%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Rochester 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% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% 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. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% 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% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Rochester 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% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%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. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above 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% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | 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 → | None yet | 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.