Compare towns
Peru vs Exeter vs Dorset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Peru | Exeter | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
16,151Highest |
2,092 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dorset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,875±$83kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
| Peru and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,489 140% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.