Compare towns
Dover vs Keene vs Northfield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Northfield has the most homeowners (73.5%).
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 | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
22,939 |
5,920Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3Highest 3% below U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Keene and Dover 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%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Northfield 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% |
20%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Northfield 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% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northfield and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$4,878Lowest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northfield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dover School District | Keene School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.3 |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.