Compare towns
Dover vs Manchester vs Concord
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Concord has the most homeowners (56.8%).
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 | Manchester | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Lowest |
115,643Highest |
44,375 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
38±1 12% below NH |
40.7±1.3Highest 6% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Manchester and Concord 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% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Concord 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
42.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
| Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
$350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
| Dover and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$7,227 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
24 minHighest 10% below NH |
23 min 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Manchester Memorial High School | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 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.