Compare towns
Dover vs Hancock vs Wells
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).
Hancock has the highest household income ($95k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Hancock | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,791Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
53.8±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Wells 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% |
15.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells 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% |
30.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Hancock 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% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$95,208±$15kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$436,700±$22kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,208±$650Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Dover and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,884 121% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.4%±55.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Wells 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% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Wells 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 |
| School district | Dover School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.