Compare towns
Newmarket vs Hanover vs Exeter vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Newmarket | Hanover | Exeter | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463Lowest |
11,685 |
16,151Highest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $455,000±$22kLowest 13% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,734Lowest 31% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Hanover High School | Exeter High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
10.7 |
12.1 |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 51 photos → |
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.