Compare towns
Exeter vs Hanover vs Holderness
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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 | Exeter | Hanover | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
8,479 |
1,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
| Exeter and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$2,068±$385 39% above NH |
| Hanover and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Holderness School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.