Compare towns
Dover vs Durham vs Rochester
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
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 | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
15,080Lowest |
33,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
43±1.8Highest about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Rochester 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 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.6%±1.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Rochester 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% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH |
| Dover and Durham 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 |
$5,334Lowest 20% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±7Lowest 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
66%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.3Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.