Compare towns
Rye vs Dover vs Exeter vs New London
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
New London has the most homeowners (90.8%).
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 | Rye | Dover | Exeter | New London |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,611 |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
4,433Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
52.8±6.7 22% above NH |
| Rye and New London are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
12%±3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Rye and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.7%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
37.5%±5.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| New London and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.5% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
65.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
20.8%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $140,655±$39kHighest 42% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$107,773±$10k 9% above NH |
| Rye and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$554,100±$64k 38% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,781±$156 19% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,594±$551Lowest 7% above NH |
| Exeter and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,519 13% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,325Lowest 5% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±16.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
71.8%±22.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| New London and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
90.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±7.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #17 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rye School District | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Kearsarge Regional 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 |
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| 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.