Compare towns
Dover vs Somersworth 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 expensive homes ($437k median).
Somersworth has the most kids (19.9% 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 | Somersworth | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
12,111 |
6,197Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
38.4±2.7Highest 11% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
| Somersworth 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% |
19.9%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Somersworth and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Henniker 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% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.9%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$74,504±$13kLowest 25% below NH |
$95,206±$21kHighest 4% below NH |
| Henniker 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±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$318,400±$23kLowest 21% below NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,477±$134 about the NH average |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
| Dover and Somersworth 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 |
$6,805Lowest about the NH average |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
56.3%±14.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| 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 NH: 7.2% |
11.2% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
57.8% NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
26 minHighest 3% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Henniker 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 | #117 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Somersworth School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Somersworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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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.