Compare towns
Dover vs Essex Junction vs Hartford
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).
Essex Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k 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 | Essex Junction | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,803 |
10,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.3±3.1 about the U.S. average |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Essex Junction 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% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Essex Junction and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest 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±$16k 11% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below 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±$20k 22% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below 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±$135 9% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below 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. |
$6,797 118% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest 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 | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dover School District | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Essex High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.7 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.