Compare towns
Dover vs Rochester vs Rye
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).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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 | Rochester | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
33,144 |
5,611Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
43±1.8 about the NH average |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.6%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Rochester 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 |
$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH |
$140,655±$39kHighest 42% above NH |
| Rye and Dover 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 |
$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,781±$156Highest 19% above NH |
| Rye and Dover 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 |
$5,334Lowest 20% below NH |
$7,519 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±7 NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Rochester 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% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
66% NH: 72.8% |
85.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
29 minHighest 8% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #98 of 120 in NH | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Rochester School District | Rye School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Spaulding High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
13.2Highest |
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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.