Compare towns
Dover vs Wolfeboro vs Sutton
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).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Wolfeboro | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,571 |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton 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 NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Sutton 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 |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
| Sutton 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 8% above NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Sutton 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% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.1 |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.