Compare towns
Barnstead vs Jaffrey vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstead has the highest household income ($112k).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
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 | Barnstead | Jaffrey | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
5,448 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% NH: +4.6% |
-2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
42.9±3.9Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Jaffrey and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
23.1%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Jaffrey and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.5%±3.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Barnstead and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
31.2% NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
3.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12kHighest 13% above NH |
$92,330±$18kLowest 7% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Barnstead and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25k 10% below NH |
$245,500±$27kLowest 39% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75 6% below NH |
$962±$202Lowest 35% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$6,196 7% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
45.7%±23Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
81.8% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Barnstead 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 | #111 of 120 in NH | #87 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Conant Middle High School (H) | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 21.3Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.