Compare towns
Rockport vs Dover 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
Rockport has the shortest commute (11 min average).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Rockport | Dover | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,675Lowest |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.7±3.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Rockport and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Rockport and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $86,979±$16kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $469,000±$50kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rockport and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$667Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,764Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±42.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 11 minLowest 57% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.1%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Dover 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 | #8 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Five Town CSD · RSU 28/MSAD 28 | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Camden Hills Regional H S | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.