Compare towns
Dover vs Bethlehem vs Wardsboro
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%).
Bethlehem has the highest household income ($85k).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Bethlehem | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466 |
2,537Highest |
820Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5Lowest 30% above U.S. |
51.6±7.3 33% above U.S. |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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% |
17.7%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wardsboro and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Bethlehem 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. |
$85,029±$18kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$62,000±$6k 23% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest about the U.S. average |
$288,300±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$299,300±$47k 10% below U.S. |
| Dover and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,479±$224Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Wardsboro and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$5,418Highest 74% above U.S. |
$4,345Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±58Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wardsboro and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem 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 | — | #34 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | Profile Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9 |
— |
| 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.