Compare towns
Dover vs Goffstown vs Hooksett
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 people working from home (18.6%).
Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Goffstown | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
18,513 |
15,057Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
41.3±3.1Highest 5% below NH |
41.3±1.5Highest 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hooksett 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% |
19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Goffstown and Hooksett 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% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$113,958±$12k 15% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
| Hooksett and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
| Dover and Hooksett 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 |
$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
| Hooksett 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 |
$6,941 4% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Goffstown 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% |
6.4% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±2.2 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #35 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Goffstown School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Goffstown High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.6Lowest |
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| 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.