Compare towns
Somersworth vs Windham vs Exeter vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somersworth has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Somersworth | Windham | Exeter | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,111Lowest |
16,038 |
16,151 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.7 11% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 14%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| 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 | $74,504±$13kLowest 25% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$23kLowest 21% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,477±$134Lowest about the NH average |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,805Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±14.7 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Somersworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Windham 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 | #117 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Somersworth School District | Windham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Somersworth High School | Windham High School | Exeter High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.1 |
12.7 |
| 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.