Compare towns
Hanover vs Durham vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
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 | Hanover | Durham | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,479Lowest |
10,681 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3 50% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±2.2 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 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 | 8% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | — | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.