Compare towns
Hanover vs Wells vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Hanover | Wells | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Lowest |
11,713 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 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+ | 19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above 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 | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 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 | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Wells High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.4 |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.