Compare towns
Dover vs Hartford vs Madbury 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 the most people working from home (18.6%).
Hartford has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
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 | Madbury | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,736 |
2,203Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.7±2.1 3% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Madbury 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% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Keene 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest 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% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$476,900±$31kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Madbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Dover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% 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% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Hartford 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% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Keene 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 | — | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Hartford School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Hartford High School | None in town | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— | 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.