Compare towns
Dover vs Hooksett vs Auburn
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).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Hooksett | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
15,057 |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Auburn and Hooksett 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% |
17.3%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hooksett 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% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Auburn 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 |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Hooksett School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
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| 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.