Compare towns
Dover vs Jay vs Sandgate vs Keene
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Jay | Sandgate | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
471 |
435Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$234,200±$45k 30% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
— | — | $1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Jay 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 | — | — | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | — | 12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.