Compare towns
Dover vs Plymouth vs Stratham vs Rollinsford
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Stratham has the highest household income ($152k).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Plymouth | Stratham | Rollinsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,601 |
7,754 |
2,626Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+2.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
41.6±4.9Highest 4% below NH |
38.8±5.5 10% below NH |
| Stratham and Rollinsford 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% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Stratham and Rollinsford 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% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Stratham and Rollinsford 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% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$151,998±$20kHighest 53% above NH |
$89,500±$26k 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
$398,100±$33k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,809±$394 21% above NH |
| Stratham and Rollinsford 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 |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
$6,851 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Dover 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% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
78.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Rollinsford and Stratham 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH | #94 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Rollinsford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.