Compare towns
Durham vs Bennington vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Bennington | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080 |
1,588Lowest |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
42.1±7.8Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
| Bennington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$83,875±$7kLowest 15% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$267,300±$15kLowest 34% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| 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 50% above NH |
$5,944Lowest 11% below NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 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.