What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).

Essex Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dover	Essex Junction
People
Population	33,364Highest	10,803Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S.	39.3±3.1Highest about the U.S. average
	Essex Junction and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Essex Junction and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dover and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	52.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Essex Junction 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±$7kHighest 17% above U.S.	$89,257±$16kLowest 11% above U.S.
	Dover and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S.	$407,500±$20kLowest 22% above U.S.
	Dover and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S.	$1,544±$135Lowest 9% above U.S.
	Dover and Essex Junction 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.	$6,797Lowest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Essex Junction 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 U.S.: 12.5%	9.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	59.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 14% below U.S.	19 minLowest 27% below U.S.
Work from home	18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	16.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Dover and Essex Junction 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	#14 of 70 in VT
School district	Dover School District	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51
High school in town	Dover Senior High School	Essex High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.