Compare towns
Dover vs Durham vs Hanover vs Williston
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 the most renters (47.3% rent).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Hanover | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
15,080 |
11,685 |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
28.7±5.1 26% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Williston 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.3 |
10.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.