Compare towns
Dover vs Springfield vs Stoddard
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 expensive homes ($1340k median).
Springfield has the most renters (9.3% rent).
Stoddard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Springfield | Stoddard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Highest |
1,122 |
1,072Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8 32% above U.S. |
53±4Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Stoddard and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Stoddard 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. |
$100,893±$19k 25% above U.S. |
$94,904±$11kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50k 15% above U.S. |
$330,300±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,096±$217 22% below U.S. |
$895±$751Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Dover and Springfield 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. |
$5,946 91% above U.S. |
$4,316Lowest 38% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stoddard and Springfield 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% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
34 minLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Springfield 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 | — | — |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | — | Stoddard School District |
| 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 |
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.