Compare towns
Dover vs Nelson vs Orange
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).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Orange has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Nelson | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
648 |
320Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.3±11.7Highest about the NH average |
41.3±9.1 5% below NH |
| Nelson and Orange 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Orange 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% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
20%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson and Orange 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% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Orange 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 |
$99,792±$23k about the NH average |
$118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
| Orange and Nelson 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 |
$340,900±$49k 15% below NH |
$302,600±$35kLowest 25% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$5,575 16% below NH |
$5,132Lowest 23% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Nelson 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
28 minHighest 5% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson and Orange 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 | — | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Nelson School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.