Compare towns
Dover vs Hampton Falls vs Keene vs Kittery
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%).
Hampton Falls has the highest household income ($166k).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Hampton Falls | Keene | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,328Lowest |
22,939 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Hampton Falls 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% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Hampton Falls 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% |
54.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$166,157±$14kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$772,600±$76kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,852±$475Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Hampton Falls 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 | — | #81 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Hampton Falls School District | Keene School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Keene High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.3 |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.