Compare towns
Dover vs Hanover vs Bellows Falls 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Bellows Falls | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
11,685 |
2,891Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Bellows Falls and Keene 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% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows 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% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Dover 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% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School | — | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— | 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.