Compare towns
Holderness vs Dover vs Exeter vs Center Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
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 | Holderness | Dover | Exeter | Center Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917 |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
955Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Center Harbor and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
47.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest 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 | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$104,313±$16k 5% above NH |
| Exeter and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$463,800±$74kHighest 15% above NH |
| Center Harbor and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
— |
| Holderness and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$4,667 30% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Dover 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Holderness School District | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.