Compare towns
Dorchester vs Jaffrey vs Carroll
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most people working from home (12.2%).
Jaffrey has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
Carroll has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Dorchester | Jaffrey | Carroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
5,448Highest |
659 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5 29% above NH |
42.9±3.9Lowest about the NH average |
62.4±4.8Highest 44% above NH |
| Carroll and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.1%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
7%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
39.5%±4.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
31.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.1%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Jaffrey and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $92,330±$18kHighest 7% below NH |
$64,821±$26kLowest 35% below NH |
| Jaffrey and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$245,500±$27k 39% below NH |
$261,500±$42kHighest 35% below NH |
| Carroll and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $962±$202Lowest 35% below NH |
$1,078±$241Highest 28% below NH |
| Carroll and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779 43% below NH |
$6,196Highest 7% below NH |
$3,356Lowest 50% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
45.7%±23Highest NH: 48.2% |
28%±47.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Jaffrey and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
81.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
22 minLowest 19% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.5%±4.2 NH: 16.8% |
4.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dorchester and Jaffrey 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 | — | #87 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Conant Middle High School (H) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 21.3 |
— |
| 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.