Compare towns
Newfields vs Dover 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
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Newfields | Dover | Wells | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,023Lowest |
33,364Highest |
11,713 |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Newfields and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Newfields 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. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest 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 | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfields School District | Dover School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Wells High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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.