Compare towns
Wilder vs Dover vs Exeter vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Wilder | Dover | Exeter | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,087Lowest |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% 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 | $5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 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 | 9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 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 | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school 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 |
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.