Compare towns
Dover vs White River Junction vs Essex Junction
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%).
White River Junction has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Essex Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | White River Junction | Essex Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
3,364Lowest |
10,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
39.3±3.1Highest about the U.S. average |
| Essex Junction and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Essex Junction and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Essex Junction 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% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Essex Junction 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. |
$77,168±$4kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$89,257±$16k 11% above U.S. |
| Dover and Essex Junction 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. |
$278,800±$78kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$407,500±$20k 22% above U.S. |
| Dover and Essex Junction 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. |
$1,222±$216Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,544±$135 9% above U.S. |
| Dover and Essex Junction 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. |
$5,651Lowest 81% above U.S. |
$6,797 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Essex Junction 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% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Essex Junction 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 | — | #14 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dover School District | — | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | Essex High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.