Compare towns
Dover vs Hillsborough vs Newmarket vs Plymouth
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hillsborough has the most homeowners (92.3%).
Newmarket has the highest household income ($101k).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Hillsborough | Newmarket | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
5,980Lowest |
9,463 |
6,601 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
41.2±1.9Highest 5% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
| Newmarket and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hillsborough and Dover 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% |
16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
49.7% NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$84,495±$12k 15% below NH |
$100,845±$13kHighest about the NH average |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
| Newmarket and Dover 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 |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$455,000±$22kHighest 13% above NH |
$292,400±$22k 27% below NH |
| Newmarket 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 8% above NH |
$1,198±$390 20% below NH |
$1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
| Newmarket 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 |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,734Highest 31% above NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough 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% |
6% NH: 7.2% |
4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.9% NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
28 min 6% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Newmarket 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 | #97 of 120 in NH | #39 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Newmarket School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
9.5Lowest |
9.9 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.