Compare towns
Pownal vs Exeter vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pownal has the most people working from home (23.9%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
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 | Pownal | Exeter | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,696 |
16,151Highest |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±8.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
| Pownal and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Pownal and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,333±$14kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$111,442±$18kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,800±$32k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$356,400±$33kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,212 67% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,942Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal 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 | RSU 05 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dedham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.