Compare towns
Dover vs Hampton Falls vs Wells vs Keene
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 the most renters (47.3% rent).
Hampton Falls has the highest household income ($166k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
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 | Wells | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,328Lowest |
11,713 |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.5±7.3 27% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Wells and Hampton Falls 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% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampton Falls and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells 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% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% 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% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$166,157±$14kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$772,600±$76kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,852±$475Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Dover 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. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% 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% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Falls and Dover 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Hampton Falls School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Wells High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
12.3 |
| 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.