Compare towns
Dover vs Pelham vs Goffstown
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).
Pelham has the most kids (22% under 18).
Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k 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 | Pelham | Goffstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
14,449Lowest |
18,513 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
41.5±2.7Highest 4% below NH |
41.3±3.1 5% below NH |
| Pelham and Goffstown 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% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Goffstown 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% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$113,958±$12k 15% above NH |
| Pelham and Goffstown 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 |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,231±$161Lowest 17% 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 |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$6,941Lowest 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
58.1%±20 NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Goffstown 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% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #35 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Pelham School District | Goffstown School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Pelham High School | Goffstown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
12.6 |
| 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.