Compare towns
Dover vs New Boston vs Pelham
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).
New Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
Pelham has the most expensive homes ($553k median).
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 | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,165Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
38.8±3.4 10% below NH |
41.5±2.7Highest 4% below NH |
| Pelham and New Boston 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% |
27.2%±5.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| New Boston and Pelham 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% |
17%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| New Boston 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% |
44.4% NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Pelham 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 |
$154,250±$25kHighest 56% above NH |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
| New Boston and Pelham 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 |
$481,100±$59k 20% above NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
| Pelham 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±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,193±$111Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
| Dover and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$8,181Lowest 23% above NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
22.8%±20.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham 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% |
6.3% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±6.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham and New Boston 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 | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | New Boston School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.