Compare towns
Concord vs Chester 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
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Chester has the most homeowners (97.7%).
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 | Concord | Chester | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
5,300Lowest |
33,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Concord and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| 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 | $84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
— | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Chester 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Chester School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
— | 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.