Compare towns
Dover vs Keene vs Manchester
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%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
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 | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364 |
22,939Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
38±1Highest 12% below NH |
| Manchester and Keene 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Manchester and Dover 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% |
19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Keene 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$81,007±$2k 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
| Dover and Manchester 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 |
$6,812 about the NH average |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1966 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
24 minHighest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Keene 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 | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Keene School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.