Compare towns
Dover vs Meredith vs Hampton 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 kids (16.9% under 18).
Meredith has the most homeowners (75.8%).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Meredith | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,758 |
2,605Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dover and Meredith 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% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Hampton Beach 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% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
| Dover and Meredith 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 |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,375±$130 8% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,115 8% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton 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% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.