Compare towns
Newington vs Dover vs Exeter vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Newington | Dover | Exeter | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 939Lowest |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
1,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest 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 | $145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 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 | 23 min 13% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newington School District | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lyme 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.