Compare towns
Dover vs Middleton vs Pinehurst
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 (34.2%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Pinehurst has the most affordable homes ($624k 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.
| Measure | Dover | Middleton | Pinehurst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
9,816Highest |
6,845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
| Dover and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Middleton 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 MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Pinehurst 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 |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$146,250±$27kLowest 41% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$623,800±$22kLowest 11% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
| Dover and Pinehurst 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 |
$8,785 47% above MA |
$6,316Lowest 5% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3 MA: 51.8% |
32%±58.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Pinehurst and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Middleton | — |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.