Compare towns
Amesbury vs Dover vs Keene
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most homeowners (68.6%).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Amesbury | Dover | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Lowest |
33,364Highest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Keene and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Amesbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Amesbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,812Lowest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Amesbury 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #64 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | Dover School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.7Highest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.