Compare towns
Dover vs Hartford vs Stratham vs Lebanon
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).
Stratham has the highest household income ($152k).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Stratham | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,736 |
7,754Lowest |
14,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Hartford and Stratham 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% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 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% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% 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% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest 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. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham 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% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Hartford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Hartford High School | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— | 11.7 |
| 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.