What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

Center Harbor has the most homeowners (91%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dover	Center Harbor
People
Population	33,364Highest	955Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6%	-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH	60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH
Kids under 18	16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2%	11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Dover and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52%Highest NH: 40.6%	47.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6%	0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH	$104,313±$16kHighest 5% above NH
	Center Harbor 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±$20kLowest 8% above NH	$463,800±$74kHighest 15% above NH
	Center Harbor and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,607±$100 8% above NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,249Highest 24% above NH	$4,667Lowest 30% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2%	14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Dover and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Highest NH: 7.2%	2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	91%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 15% below NH	25 minHighest 8% below NH
Work from home	18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8%	8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#64 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Dover School District	—
High school in town	Dover Senior High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.