Compare towns
Dover vs Derry vs Hooksett
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).
Derry has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Derry | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364 |
34,116Highest |
15,057Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
40.3±1.6 7% below NH |
41.3±1.5Highest 5% below NH |
| Hooksett and Derry 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% |
20.7%±2.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Derry and Hooksett 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%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hooksett 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% |
37.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett 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±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
| Hooksett and Derry 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 |
$432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Dover and Derry 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 |
$1,547±$138Lowest 4% above NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
| Hooksett and Dover 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 |
$8,103 22% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Dover 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% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
70.2% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Derry 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 | #60 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Pinkerton Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
13.9Highest |
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| 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.