Compare towns
Dover vs New Boston vs Hooksett vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
New Boston has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | New Boston | Hooksett | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,165Lowest |
15,057 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
38.8±3.4 about the U.S. average |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett 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 17% above U.S. |
$154,250±$25kHighest 91% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$481,100±$59k 45% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and New Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,193±$111Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$8,181 162% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.8%±20.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.2%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Boston and Dover 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 | #21 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | New Boston School District | Hooksett School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.