Compare towns
Dover vs Swanzey vs Surry
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).
Swanzey has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
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 | Swanzey | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,398 |
1,052Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
44.7±5.1 3% above NH |
| Swanzey and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Surry and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7 NH: 20.1% |
| Swanzey and Surry 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% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
31.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Surry 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±$7k 4% below NH |
$81,595±$11kLowest 18% below NH |
$110,125±$25kHighest 11% above NH |
| Surry 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 |
$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH |
$331,400±$23k 18% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,508±$303Lowest about the NH average |
$1,955±$374Highest 31% above NH |
| Surry 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 |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
$6,384 4% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey 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 NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
3.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
71.7% NH: 72.8% |
91.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Surry 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 | #102 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Monadnock Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Monadnock Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.