Compare towns
Dover vs Plainfield vs Westminster
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%).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Westminster 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 | Plainfield | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Lowest |
2,522 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Westminster 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% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Westminster 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% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Westminster 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Dover 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Plainfield School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.