Compare towns
Dover vs Keene vs Needham vs Ogunquit
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 renters (47.3% rent).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
22,939 |
32,459 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Dover 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Keene School District | — | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | 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.