Compare towns
Dover vs Madbury vs Pelham
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).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Madbury | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,203Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
41.5±2.7Highest 4% below NH |
| Pelham and Madbury 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% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Pelham 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% |
52.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Pelham 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 |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
| Madbury and Pelham 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 |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
| Dover and Madbury 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham 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% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.