Compare towns
Chester vs Dover vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most homeowners (97.7%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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.
| Measure | Chester | Dover | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300Lowest |
33,364Highest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19k 44% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Hanover and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42k 37% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464 27% above NH |
$8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #90 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.