Compare towns
Dover vs Epping vs Strafford vs Weare
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($122k).
Weare has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Strafford | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,430 |
4,306Lowest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
46.3±2.1Highest 7% above NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
| Strafford and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Epping 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Strafford 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% |
40.2% NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$122,105±$22kHighest 23% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
| Strafford and Weare 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 |
$427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| 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 |
$1,635±$246 10% above NH |
$1,541±$214Lowest 3% above NH |
| Epping and Strafford 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 |
$6,086Lowest 9% below NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9 NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
36 min 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Weare 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Epping School District | Strafford School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Epping High School | None in town | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.