Compare towns
Dover vs Kensington vs Plainfield vs South Hampton
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 the most renters (47.3% rent).
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
South Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Kensington | Plainfield | South Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,009 |
2,522 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
-1.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
43.3±5.9 about the NH average |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
45.1±5.3Highest 4% above NH |
| South Hampton and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.1%±2.6 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and South Hampton 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% |
18.8%±2.9 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
48.5% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.3 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$165,083±$18kHighest 67% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$152,500±$44k 54% above NH |
| Kensington and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$657,700±$47k 63% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$661,100±$45kHighest 64% above NH |
| South Hampton and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,813±$627 22% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,889±$489Highest 27% above NH |
| South Hampton and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$9,637Highest 45% above NH |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$9,109 37% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
88.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
28 min 6% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.2%±3.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Kensington 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Kensington School District | Plainfield School District | South Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.