Compare towns
Dover vs Halifax vs Hanson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most people working from home (37.4%).
Halifax has the most affordable homes ($482k median).
Hanson has the most renters (11% rent).
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 | Dover | Halifax | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,308Lowest |
7,748 |
10,660Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.5±4Highest 19% above MA |
41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
| Dover and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,804±$375Lowest about the MA average |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
| Hanson and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,840 14% above MA |
$6,402Lowest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Dover and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
89%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 37.4%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Halifax | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.