Compare towns
Dover vs Somersworth vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Somersworth has the most homeowners (57.8%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k 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 | Somersworth | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
12,111 |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
38.4±2.7 about the U.S. average |
41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Bellows Falls and Somersworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Somersworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls 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±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$74,504±$13k 8% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$318,400±$23k 4% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,477±$134 5% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Dover and Somersworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,805 118% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Somersworth 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% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #117 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Somersworth School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Somersworth High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.