Compare towns
Barnard vs Dover vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Westford has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Barnard | Dover | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
33,364Highest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±6 9% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±8.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Westford and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnard and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19k 21% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Westford and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Dover and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038Lowest 94% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,282 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barnard and Westford 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Dover School District | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.