Compare towns
Dover vs Holderness vs Amherst
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%).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Holderness | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,917Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Holderness 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% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
| Amherst and Holderness 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 |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Holderness 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 |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | — | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Holderness School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.