Compare towns
Dover vs Epping vs Keene
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).
Epping has the most homeowners (86.3%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
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 | Epping | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,430Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Epping 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 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$104,220±$7kHighest 5% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
| Epping and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
| Epping and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
| Epping and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Dover 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Epping School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Epping High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.3Lowest |
12.3 |
| 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.