Compare towns
Dover vs Windham vs Merrimack
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Merrimack has the oldest population (median age 41.5).
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 | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,038Lowest |
28,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
41.5±2.2Highest 4% below NH |
| Merrimack 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% |
22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$127,219±$16k 28% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$458,600±$15k 14% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,345Lowest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
88.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Windham and Merrimack 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 | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Windham School District | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Windham High School | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.8Highest |
12.5Lowest |
| 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.