Compare towns
Dover vs Plainfield vs Henniker
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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Plainfield | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,522Lowest |
6,197 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
38.9±6.5Highest 10% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
| Plainfield and Dover 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Dover 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% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
| Plainfield and Henniker 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 |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
| Plainfield 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 |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
| Plainfield 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 |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Henniker 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 15% below NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Plainfield 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 | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Plainfield School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.