Compare towns
Dover vs Rochester vs Carlisle
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 expensive homes ($1340k median).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($599k median).
Carlisle has the most people working from home (38.5%).
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 | Rochester | Carlisle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Highest |
5,837 |
5,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Lowest 12% above MA |
46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±3.1 13% above MA |
| Rochester and Carlisle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.4%±5.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Carlisle and Dover 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% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.7%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Carlisle and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8% MA: 47.3% |
43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
87.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Rochester 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 |
$120,273±$12kLowest 16% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$599,100±$31kLowest 7% above MA |
$1,103,900±$46k 96% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
$1,313±$855Lowest 25% below MA |
| Dover and Rochester 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 |
$6,530Lowest 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2 MA: 51.8% |
77%±21.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7% MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
1.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minLowest 19% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
35 min 21% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
38.5%±8.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Carlisle and Dover 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 | #104 of 282 in MA | #24 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Carlisle |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
9.1Lowest |
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| 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.