Compare towns
Dover vs Keene vs Waterbury
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 most affordable homes ($253k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
22,939 |
5,405Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Waterbury 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Dover 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% |
19.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waterbury 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Highest 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% |
3.4%±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 |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Waterbury 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±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$6,435Lowest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Waterbury 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dover School District | Keene School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.3Lowest |
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| 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.