Compare towns
Dover vs Deerfield vs Cornish
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 renters (47.3% rent).
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Deerfield | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
4,932 |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.8±4.2 about the NH average |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
| Cornish and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±4.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Deerfield 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% |
17.5%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
47.3% NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.8 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$131,563±$10kHighest 33% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$421,000±$33k 5% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
| Dover and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,593±$318 7% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
| Dover and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$7,369 11% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Cornish 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% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
34 minHighest 28% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.4%±6.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Deerfield 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Deerfield School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.