Compare towns
Dover vs Milford vs Surry
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).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Surry has the most homeowners (91.6%).
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 | Milford | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,337 |
1,052Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
44.7±5.1Highest 3% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Surry 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% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Surry 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% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
31.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Surry 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±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
$110,125±$25kHighest 11% above NH |
| Surry and Milford 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 |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
$331,400±$23kLowest 18% below NH |
| Dover and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,661±$126 11% above NH |
$1,955±$374Highest 31% above NH |
| Surry and Milford 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 |
$7,522 13% above NH |
$6,384Lowest 4% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Milford 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% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
3.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
91.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Surry 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 | #55 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Milford School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Milford High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.