Compare towns
Dover vs Kittery vs North Hampton vs Keene
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%).
North Hampton has the highest household income ($146k).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
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 | Kittery | North Hampton | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,473 |
4,543Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
50.5±3.3Highest 30% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| North Hampton and Kittery 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% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| North Hampton 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and North Hampton 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$146,458±$29kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$670,400±$61kHighest 102% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,805±$106Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| North Hampton and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,529Highest 173% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Keene 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Hampton and Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #12 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Kittery Public Schools | North Hampton School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— | 12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.