Compare towns
Dover vs Bennington vs Bristol
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 expensive homes ($437k median).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($258k 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 | Bennington | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,588Lowest |
3,273 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
42.7±5.7Highest about the NH average |
| Bristol and Bennington 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% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Bristol 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% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bristol 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
$83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
| Dover and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$267,300±$15k 34% below NH |
$258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,310±$97 12% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$5,944 11% below NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Bristol 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Bennington 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 | — | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.