Compare towns
Concord vs Dover vs Ossipee vs Wakefield
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Ossipee has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Wakefield has the most homeowners (96.8%).
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 | Concord | Dover | Ossipee | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
33,364 |
4,521Lowest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
50±4.6Highest 15% above NH |
49.4±4.1 14% above NH |
| Ossipee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±4.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Ossipee and Wakefield 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% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
26.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
$100,976±$11kHighest about the NH average |
| Wakefield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$325,500±$23k 19% below NH |
$322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,601±$245 7% above NH |
$1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH |
| Dover and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227 8% above NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$4,401 34% below NH |
$2,954Lowest 56% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82% NH: 72.8% |
96.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.1%±9.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Wakefield 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #100 of 120 in NH | #118 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Dover School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Wakefield School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.7Lowest |
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| 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.