Compare towns
Dover vs Hampton Falls vs Kensington vs Lee
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).
Hampton Falls has the most expensive homes ($773k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Hampton Falls | Kensington | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,328 |
2,009Lowest |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.5% NH: +4.6% |
-1.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
43.3±5.9 about the NH average |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Hampton Falls and Kensington 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% |
19.1%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
17.1%±2.6 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Hampton Falls 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% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±2.9 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Falls and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
48.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Lee 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 |
$166,157±$14kHighest 68% above NH |
$165,083±$18k 67% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Hampton Falls and Kensington 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 |
$772,600±$76kHighest 92% above NH |
$657,700±$47k 63% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Hampton Falls and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,852±$475Highest 24% above NH |
$1,813±$627 22% above NH |
— |
| Hampton Falls and Kensington 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,637 45% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7 NH: 48.2% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Lee 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% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
92.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
29 min 7% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.2%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | — | — | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Hampton Falls School District | Kensington School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.