Compare towns
Dover vs Newmarket vs Pembroke vs Plymouth
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Newmarket has the highest household income ($101k).
Pembroke has the most kids (24% under 18).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Newmarket | Pembroke | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
9,463 |
7,438 |
6,601Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+1.3% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
41.9±3.3Highest 3% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
| Pembroke and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Pembroke 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% |
49.7% NH: 40.6% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$100,845±$13kHighest about the NH average |
$89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
| Newmarket 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±$20k 8% above NH |
$455,000±$22kHighest 13% above NH |
$371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
| Newmarket and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
$1,218±$354 18% below NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
| Newmarket and Dover 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 |
$8,734Highest 31% above NH |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Pembroke 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% |
4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
52.9% NH: 72.8% |
67.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Newmarket 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #85 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Newmarket School District | Pembroke School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Pembroke Academy | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
9.9Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.