Compare towns

Barrington vs Dover vs Henniker vs Madbury

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barrington has the most homeowners (87%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Madbury has the highest household income ($148k).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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.

MeasureBarringtonDoverHennikerMadbury
People
Population
9,489
33,364Highest
6,197
2,203Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8.7%
NH: +4.6%
+9.2%
NH: +4.6%
+27.9%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+8.3%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
38.7±2.3Highest
11% below NH
36.9±1.9
15% below NH
31.1±6.1Lowest
28% below NH
37.7±2.1
13% below NH
Barrington and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.7%±4
NH: 18.2%
16.9%±1.8
NH: 18.2%
15.3%±3.7Lowest
NH: 18.2%
29%±5.9Highest
NH: 18.2%
Madbury and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
15.6%±2.7
NH: 20.1%
16.8%±1.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
16.5%±6
NH: 20.1%
14.3%±2.6Lowest
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+
42.4%
NH: 40.6%
52%
NH: 40.6%
41.4%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
52.6%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.3%±1.9
NH: 6%
6.2%±1.2
NH: 6%
27%±6.5Highest
NH: 6%
3.4%±1.8Lowest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$110,323±$14k
11% above NH
$94,829±$7kLowest
4% below NH
$95,206±$21k
4% below NH
$148,365±$30kHighest
50% above NH
Madbury and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$399,100±$30k
about the NH average
$436,700±$20k
8% above NH
$356,700±$49kLowest
11% below NH
$476,900±$31kHighest
18% above NH
Madbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,867±$194Highest
25% above NH
$1,607±$100
8% above NH
$1,081±$164Lowest
27% below NH
$1,574±$759
6% above NH
Barrington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,121Lowest
7% above NH
$8,249
24% above NH
$8,877
33% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
63.1%±25.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
48.6%±6.3
NH: 48.2%
43.5%±22.6
NH: 48.2%
16.7%±15.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Barrington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.1%
NH: 7.2%
8.3%
NH: 7.2%
11.6%Highest
NH: 7.2%
4.9%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87%Highest
NH: 72.8%
52.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
64.5%
NH: 72.8%
82.9%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
8 yrs newer than NH
1976
3 yrs older than NH
1974Lowest
5 yrs older than NH
1984
5 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
13% above NH
23 min
15% below NH
20 minLowest
24% below NH
25 min
5% below NH
Work from home
18.7%±4.1Highest
NH: 16.8%
18.6%±2.5
NH: 16.8%
15.5%±5.6
NH: 16.8%
14%±3.6Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Barrington 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 #65 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #56 of 120 in NH —
School district Barrington School District Dover School District Henniker School District Oyster River Coop School District
High school in town None in town Dover Senior High School None in town None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.7
— —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.