Compare towns

Dover vs Eliot vs Hooksett vs Wolfeboro

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).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).

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.

MeasureDoverEliotHooksettWolfeboro
People
Population
33,364Highest
7,146
15,057
6,571Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
50.8±5.9
31% above U.S.
41.3±1.5
6% above U.S.
57±1.8Highest
47% above U.S.
Wolfeboro and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
17.4%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.7%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Hooksett and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2
U.S.: 17.2%
17.3%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
34.6%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Wolfeboro and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
39.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
45%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
8.9%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.8%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
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±$7k
17% above U.S.
$101,522±$10k
26% above U.S.
$117,962±$11kHighest
46% above U.S.
$94,375±$22kLowest
17% above U.S.
Hooksett and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
$498,900±$62k
50% above U.S.
$407,000±$26kLowest
22% above U.S.
$546,500±$60kHighest
64% above U.S.
Wolfeboro and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above U.S.
$1,661±$206
18% above U.S.
$1,103±$76Lowest
22% below U.S.
Eliot and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
$4,549
46% above U.S.
$6,554
110% above U.S.
$4,531Lowest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.7%±16.4
U.S.: 51.1%
12%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Eliot 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
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
80.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
78.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
14% below U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
24 min
10% below U.S.
Work from home
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
13.4%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.9%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Wolfeboro 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 #19 of 133 in ME #30 of 120 in NH #46 of 120 in NH
School district Dover School District RSU 35/MSAD 35 Hooksett School District Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town Dover Senior High School None in town None in town Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7Highest
— —
11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet None yet 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.