Compare towns
Dover vs Henniker vs Milford vs Weare
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%).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Weare has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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 | Milford | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,197Lowest |
16,337 |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
45.6±4Highest 5% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Henniker 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% NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
$118,271±$17kHighest 19% above NH |
| Weare and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
$396,300±$26k about the NH average |
| Dover and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,661±$126Highest 11% above NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
| Milford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$7,522 13% above NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Milford 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% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Dover 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 | #55 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Henniker School District | Milford School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Milford High School | John Stark Regional 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 | 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.