Compare towns
Holderness vs Dover vs Exeter vs Plainfield
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%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
| Exeter and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Exeter 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% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 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±$13k 11% above NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Plainfield and Exeter 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±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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 |
$1,674±$181 12% 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 |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 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 | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| 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.