Compare towns
Dover vs Pelham vs Strafford
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 expensive homes ($553k median).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 46.3).
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 | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
14,449 |
4,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
46.3±2.1Highest 7% above NH |
| Strafford and Pelham 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% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham and Strafford 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Strafford 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% |
40.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest 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 |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$122,105±$22k 23% above NH |
| Pelham and Strafford 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 |
$427,900±$29kLowest 6% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,635±$246Highest 10% above NH |
| Strafford 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 |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$6,086Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5 NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Pelham 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% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5Lowest 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 | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Pelham School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| 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.