Compare towns
Dover vs Gray vs Hanover
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Gray | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,429Lowest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hanover and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.5 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.