What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).

Gilford has the most homeowners (93.1%).

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	Gilford
People
Population	33,364Highest	7,830Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6%	+8%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH	48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH
Kids under 18	16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2%	20.6%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2%
	Gilford 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%	21.8%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1%
	Gilford and Dover 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%	45.4%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6%	2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH	$116,635±$11kHighest 18% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH	$456,500±$56kHighest 13% above NH
	Gilford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH	$1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH
	Dover and Gilford 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	$4,868Lowest 27% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2%	62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2%
	Gilford 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 NH: 7.2%	6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93.1%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 15% below NH	22 minLowest 18% below NH
Work from home	18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8%	16.9%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Dover and Gilford 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	#45 of 120 in NH
School district	Dover School District	Gilford School District
High school in town	Dover Senior High School	Gilford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	11.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.