Compare towns
Dover vs Bedford vs Fairlee
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k 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 | Bedford | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466 |
23,746Highest |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford 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 | — | #7 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Bedford School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.