Compare towns
Dover vs Keene vs Lebanon vs Wilder
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 kids (16.9% under 18).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Keene | Lebanon | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
22,939 |
14,999 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Lebanon 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% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$98,147±$10kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Lebanon 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±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Lebanon and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Keene School District | Lebanon School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School | Lebanon High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.3 |
11.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.