Compare towns

Bath vs Concord vs Dover vs Rye

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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.

MeasureBathConcordDoverRye
People
Population
8,815
44,375Highest
33,364
5,611Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.4±3
17% above U.S.
40.7±1.3
5% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
55.1±3Highest
42% above U.S.
Kids under 18
15.5%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.2%±1.3
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
18.2%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Rye and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
25.2%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
18.7%±1.5
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
31.7%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Rye and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
42.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
61.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.5%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
6%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.2%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$69,390±$12kLowest
14% below U.S.
$84,902±$5k
5% above U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
$140,655±$39kHighest
74% above U.S.
Rye and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$310,900±$30kLowest
7% below U.S.
$350,900±$13k
5% above U.S.
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
$1,028,100±$89kHighest
209% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,044±$116Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,441±$43
about the U.S. average
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,781±$156Highest
26% above U.S.
Rye and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,847Lowest
23% above U.S.
$7,227
132% above U.S.
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
$7,519
141% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.3%±15.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.1%±5.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
44.3%±16.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Bath and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
56.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
85.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1969
11 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1972
8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
9% below U.S.
23 min
13% below U.S.
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
29 minHighest
9% above U.S.
Work from home
19.3%±6
U.S.: 15.1%
14.1%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
30.9%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Rye and Bath 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 #31 of 133 in ME #89 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #2 of 120 in NH
School district RSU 01 - LKRSU Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District Dover School District Rye School District
High school in town Morse High School Concord High School Dover Senior High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
14.8Highest
13.0
12.7Lowest
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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.