Compare towns
Exeter vs Hanover vs Wells
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 renters (30.9% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
11,685Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Exeter 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest 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% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| 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. |
$3,215Lowest 3% 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% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Hanover High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.