Compare towns
Concord vs Wakefield vs Ossipee 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Wakefield has the most homeowners (96.8%).
Ossipee has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Wakefield | Ossipee | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
5,405 |
4,521Lowest |
33,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% NH: +4.6% |
+2.4% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
49.4±4.1 14% above NH |
50±4.6Highest 15% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below 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% |
18.7%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest 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% |
18.8%±4.7 NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest 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% |
26.2% NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7 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 |
$100,976±$11kHighest about the NH average |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| 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 |
$322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH |
$325,500±$23k 19% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,601±$245 7% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above 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 |
$2,954Lowest 56% below NH |
$4,401 34% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% NH: 72.8% |
96.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8 NH: 16.8% |
15.1%±9.3 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest 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 | #118 of 120 in NH | #100 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Wakefield School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | None in town | 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 | 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.