Compare towns
Dover vs Hampstead vs Sandown
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 renters (47.3% rent).
Hampstead has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Hampstead | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
9,102 |
6,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.3±6.1Highest 5% above NH |
40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
| Hampstead and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hampstead 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% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
$135,040±$25kHighest 36% above NH |
| Sandown and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH |
$483,400±$44k 20% above NH |
| Hampstead and Sandown 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 |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
| Sandown and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
82.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Hampstead 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Hampstead School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
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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.