Compare towns
Dover vs Hanover 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).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
11,685Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% 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% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.