Compare towns
Dover vs Henniker vs Lee vs Mont Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Mont Vernon has the highest household income ($158k).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Lee | Mont Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,197 |
4,576 |
2,636Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
42.9±2.8Highest about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
22.1%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Mont Vernon and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±3.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
50.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$158,036±$19kHighest 60% above NH |
| Mont Vernon and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$526,300±$39kHighest 31% above NH |
| Mont Vernon and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
— | $1,104±$185 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$9,432 41% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.4%±80.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Mont Vernon and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.8% NH: 72.8% |
95.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.6%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Mont Vernon 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #4 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Henniker School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Mont Vernon School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → | None yet |
NH 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.