Compare towns
Dover vs Bath vs Gray vs Keene
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Bath has the oldest population (median age 45.4).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Bath | Gray | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,815 |
8,429Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Bath and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #31 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Morse High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
14.8Highest |
12.5 |
12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.