Compare towns
Kensington vs Hartford vs Dover 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
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Kensington | Hartford | Dover | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,009Lowest |
10,736 |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±5.9 11% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest 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+ | 48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 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 | $165,083±$18kHighest 104% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,813±$627 28% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,637Highest 209% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest 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 | 1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Kensington 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 |
| School district | Kensington School District | Hartford School District | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hartford High School | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
12.7Highest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.