Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Exeter vs Hooksett vs Weare
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has the most expensive homes ($484k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hooksett has the youngest population (median age 41.3).
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Dunbarton | Exeter | Hooksett | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
16,151Highest |
15,057 |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Dunbarton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
| Exeter and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233 23% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Exeter 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hooksett School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.