Compare towns
Alna vs Dover vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Mercer has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
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 | Alna | Dover | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 818 |
33,364Highest |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5 5% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Mercer and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 32.9%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mercer and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$16k 15% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$71,107±$2kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Dover and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55k 10% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$238,500±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Dover and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,422±$249 about the U.S. average |
| Dover and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667 18% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$1,970Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
18.5%±74Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mercer 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Dover School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.