What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

Winchendon has the most homeowners (76.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dover	Winchendon
People
Population	33,364Highest	10,440Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S.	39.6±1.9Highest about the U.S. average
	Winchendon 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%	21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Winchendon and Dover 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%	16.9%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Winchendon 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%	21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dover and Winchendon 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.	$75,690±$14kLowest 6% below U.S.
	Dover and Winchendon 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.	$323,800±$19kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S.	$1,255±$163Lowest 11% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,249Highest 164% above U.S.	$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	61.7%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Winchendon 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%	18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.	32 minHighest 23% above U.S.
Work from home	18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#64 of 120 in NH	#269 of 282 in MA
School district	Dover School District	Winchendon
High school in town	Dover Senior High School	Murdock High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	11.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.