Compare towns
Dover vs Durham vs Bedford
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 affordable homes ($437k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Bedford has the most homeowners (82.9%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,681Lowest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
53.6% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | — | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.