Compare towns
Dover vs Waterbury vs Hartford
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%).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k 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 | Waterbury | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
5,405Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Hartford 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% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Hartford 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 17% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Waterbury 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±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Waterbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dover School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 9.6Lowest |
| 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.