Compare towns
Dover vs Durham vs Jackson
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 kids (16.9% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+26%).
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 | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
15,080 |
897Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+26%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
60.5±2.5Highest 40% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
4.1%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.4%±6.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
67.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3%±3.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$117,986±$46k 19% above NH |
| Durham and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$719,300±$109kHighest 79% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,750±$1kHighest 17% above NH |
| Jackson and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,001Lowest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
21.1%±59.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
16.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
91.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 15% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
19 minLowest 31% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±10.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Jackson and Durham 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 | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Jackson School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.