What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).

Manchester has the most affordable homes ($366k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dover	Manchester
People
Population	5,930Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.9±2.3Highest 15% above U.S.	38±1Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dover and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.4%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dover and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$250,001Highest 210% above U.S.	$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S.	$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S.	$1,564±$37Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Dover and Manchester 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 221% above U.S.	$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Manchester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 31% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#1 of 282 in MA	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Dover · Dover-Sherborn	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	Dover-Sherborn Regional High	Manchester Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	6 photos →

U.S. 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.