Compare towns
Dover vs Madbury vs Plymouth vs Newington
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 people working from home (18.6%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,203 |
6,601 |
939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
| Newington and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
62.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$145,833±$46k 47% above NH |
| Madbury and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
| Newington and Dover 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Madbury 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 | — | #47 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.