Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Dover vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Dunbarton | Dover | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
33,364Highest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Dover School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.