Compare towns
Hartford vs Dover vs Exeter vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Hartford | Dover | Exeter | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.7Highest |
12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.