Compare towns
Dover vs Peterborough vs Weston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most people working from home (34.2%).
Peterborough has the most affordable homes ($405k median).
Weston has the most expensive homes ($1694k 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 | Peterborough | Weston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
6,408 |
11,579Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
44.9±2.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
84.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Weston and Dover 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. |
$98,401±$8kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117k 303% above U.S. |
$404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$1,694,400±$263kHighest 409% above U.S. |
| Weston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,395±$209Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,085±$809 48% above U.S. |
| Dover and Weston 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. |
$8,655Lowest 177% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±23Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Weston 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #59 of 120 in NH | #9 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Contoocook Valley School District | Weston |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Conval Regional High School | Weston High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.0Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.