Compare towns
Dover vs Lee vs Seabrook Beach
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).
Lee has the highest household income ($132k).
Seabrook Beach has the most expensive homes ($921k 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 | Lee | Seabrook Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
4,576 |
1,001Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
62±3.8Highest 43% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
5.2%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee 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 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
42.1%±7.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
2.2%±3.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$93,571±$43kLowest 6% below NH |
| Lee 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±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$920,900±$75kHighest 129% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
— | $1,725±$575Highest 16% above NH |
| Seabrook Beach and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
90.5%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Seabrook Beach and Dover 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% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
39.5%±20Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Seabrook Beach and Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.