Compare towns

White River Junction vs Exeter vs Dover vs Hartford

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).

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.

MeasureWhite River JunctionExeterDoverHartford
People
Population
3,364Lowest
16,151
33,364Highest
10,736
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+12.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
33.7±3.2Lowest
13% below U.S.
45.8±2.3Highest
18% above U.S.
36.9±1.9
5% below U.S.
43.2±3.9
11% above U.S.
Exeter and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17.1%±5
U.S.: 22%
17%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18%±3Highest
U.S.: 22%
Hartford and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
12.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
24.4%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
22.5%±3.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Exeter and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
38.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
59.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
47.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.2%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.1%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±1.7
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
$77,168±$4kLowest
4% below U.S.
$110,346±$13kHighest
37% above U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
$78,125±$7k
3% below 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
$278,800±$78kLowest
16% below U.S.
$456,600±$21kHighest
37% above U.S.
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
$304,500±$26k
8% below U.S.
Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,222±$216
14% below U.S.
$1,856±$223Highest
31% above U.S.
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,218±$118Lowest
14% below 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
$5,651Lowest
81% above U.S.
$8,814Highest
183% above U.S.
$8,249
164% above U.S.
$5,773
85% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.9%±17.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
59%±11.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
44.6%±12.7
U.S.: 51.1%
Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
43.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
69.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
67.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1963Lowest
17 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
15 minLowest
42% below U.S.
25 minHighest
6% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
18 min
30% below U.S.
Work from home
15.7%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
19.9%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
13.9%±3.5Lowest
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 — #22 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #34 of 70 in VT
School district — Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District Dover School District Hartford School District
High school in town — Exeter High School Dover Senior High School Hartford High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.1
12.7Highest
9.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.