Compare towns
Dover vs Amherst vs Keene
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Amherst | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
11,861Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
| Dover and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.