Compare towns
Exeter vs Windham vs Dover vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Windham | Dover | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
16,038 |
33,364Highest |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Kingston 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% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,393±$156Lowest 7% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$7,906Lowest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District | Dover School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Windham High School | Dover Senior High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.8 |
12.7 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.