Compare towns
Dover vs Plainfield vs Auburn vs Concord
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).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k 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 | Plainfield | Auburn | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364 |
2,522Lowest |
6,119 |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
| Auburn and Concord 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Auburn 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% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Concord 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% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Dover 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 4% below NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
| Auburn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
$7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Concord 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% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
23 min 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Plainfield School District | Auburn School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | — | 13.0Highest |
| 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.