What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).

Chester has the most homeowners (97.7%).

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	Chester
People
Population	33,364Highest	5,300Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH	47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH
Kids under 18	16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2%	19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2%
	Chester 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 NH: 20.1%	17.4%±4Highest NH: 20.1%
	Chester 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%	41.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6%	4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Dover and Chester 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	$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH	$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,607±$100 8% above NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,249Lowest 24% above NH	$8,464Highest 27% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2%	19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Dover and Chester 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%	4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	97.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH	1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 15% below NH	35 minHighest 31% above NH
Work from home	18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8%	16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Dover and Chester 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	#90 of 120 in NH
School district	Dover School District	Chester School District
High school in town	Dover Senior High School	None in town
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.