Compare towns
Dover vs Hartford vs Lebanon vs Waterbury
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%).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Hartford | Lebanon | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,736 |
14,999 |
5,405Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Hartford 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% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Lebanon 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% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon and Dover 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. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Lebanon and Dover 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. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Waterbury 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% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Lebanon 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #29 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dover School District | Hartford School District | Lebanon School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Hartford High School | Lebanon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
11.7 |
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| 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.