Compare towns
Dover vs Hanover vs Dunbarton
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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,479 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Dunbarton 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 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Hanover 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% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Hanover and Dunbarton 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 |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Dunbarton 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% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
62.4% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | — | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.