What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dover	Rockland
People
Population	33,364Highest	7,035Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S.	49.3±6Highest 27% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%	15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Dover and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	25.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S.	$56,533±$6kLowest 30% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S.	$245,800±$38kLowest 26% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S.	$1,092±$105Lowest 23% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,249Highest 164% above U.S.	$4,059Lowest 30% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.6%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Rockland and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	62%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1948Lowest 32 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 14% below U.S.	12 minLowest 53% below U.S.
Work from home	18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.1%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Rockland 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	#96 of 133 in ME
School district	Dover School District	Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13
High school in town	Dover Senior High School	Oceanside High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.