Compare towns
Auburn vs Dover vs Durham vs Henniker
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most homeowners (93.9%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Auburn | Dover | Durham | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119Lowest |
33,364Highest |
15,080 |
6,197 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
31.1±6.1 28% below NH |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Durham 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 | #44 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 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.