Compare towns
Brookline vs Dover vs New Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($544k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
New Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
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 | Brookline | Dover | New Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
33,364Highest |
6,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Highest 5% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
38.8±3.4 10% below NH |
| Brookline and New Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.2%±5.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| New Boston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
17%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| New Boston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
44.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$154,250±$25k 56% above NH |
| Brookline and New Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$481,100±$59k 20% above NH |
| Brookline and New Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,193±$111Lowest 20% below NH |
| Brookline and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,181Lowest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
22.8%±20.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±6.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and New Boston 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #21 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Dover School District | New Boston School District |
| 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 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.