Compare towns
Exeter vs Hanover vs Kingston vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most kids (17% under 18).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Kingston | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
11,685 |
6,275 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
55.5±5.7 43% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61k 148% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156Lowest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,906 153% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Hanover 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Sanborn Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Hanover High School | Sanborn Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
10.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.



