Compare towns
Dover vs Standish vs Rochester
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 the most people working from home (18.6%).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k 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 | Standish | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,662Lowest |
33,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.5±2.8 4% above U.S. |
43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Rochester and Dover 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% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester 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% |
36% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Standish 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 31% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18k about the U.S. average |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,369±$72 3% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$5,334 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Bonny Eagle High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.5Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| 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.