Compare towns
Dover vs Ogunquit vs Salem vs Keene
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 kids (16.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Ogunquit | Salem | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Ogunquit 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 31% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
— | $1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | — | Salem | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | Salem High | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.