Compare towns
Dover vs Cornish vs Bellows Falls
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%).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k 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 | Cornish | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,816Lowest |
2,891 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Bellows Falls 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% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls 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% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Bellows Falls 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% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls 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±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Dover and Cornish 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. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Bellows Falls 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Cornish 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 | — | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Cornish 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 History | 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.