Compare towns
Dover vs Auburn vs Amherst
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 the most renters (47.3% rent).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Auburn | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,119Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Auburn and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Dover 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 |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Auburn 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Auburn School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.