Compare towns
Dover vs Windham vs Ashland
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 renters (47.3% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k 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 | Windham | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,038 |
2,183Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
42.3±11.2Highest about the NH average |
| Ashland and Windham 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Windham 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 |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Windham and Dover 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Windham School District | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| 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.