Compare towns
Durham vs Dover vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Dover | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Lowest |
33,364Highest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Dover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.