Compare towns
Dover vs Middlesex vs Warner 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%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Warner has the most renters (25.4% rent).
Wardsboro has the most affordable homes ($299k 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 | Middlesex | Warner | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
1,943 |
2,959Highest |
820Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
43.7±4Lowest 12% 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Wardsboro 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Warner and Middlesex 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. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$94,022±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$62,000±$6k 23% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$353,100±$22k 6% above U.S. |
$299,300±$47kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Warner 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. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,219±$123 14% below U.S. |
$1,479±$224Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Wardsboro and Middlesex 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. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,345Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±58Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wardsboro and Warner 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Kearsarge Regional School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.