Compare towns
Dover vs New Gloucester vs Rochester
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 people working from home (18.6%).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k 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 Gloucester | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
5,766Lowest |
33,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.1±5.5 3% above U.S. |
43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Rochester and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$108,797±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| New Gloucester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$357,100±$29k 7% above U.S. |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,369±$72 3% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,334 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Rochester 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and New Gloucester 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 13.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.