Compare towns

Enfield vs Dover vs Hanover vs Wolfeboro

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Enfield has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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.

MeasureEnfieldDoverHanoverWolfeboro
People
Population
4,475Lowest
33,364Highest
11,685
6,571
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-2.6%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+9.2%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+5.4%
NH: +4.6%
+2.3%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
58.3±5.4Highest
35% above NH
36.9±1.9
15% below NH
28.7±5.1Lowest
34% below NH
57±1.8
32% above NH
Enfield and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
7.9%±4.6Lowest
NH: 18.2%
16.9%±1.8Highest
NH: 18.2%
14.4%±2.4
NH: 18.2%
13.7%±3.3
NH: 18.2%
Dover and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
30.7%±7.6
NH: 20.1%
16.8%±1.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
19.7%±2.8
NH: 20.1%
34.6%±5.2Highest
NH: 20.1%
Wolfeboro and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
43%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
52%
NH: 40.6%
88.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
45%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.7%±3.4Lowest
NH: 6%
6.2%±1.2
NH: 6%
36.9%±2.4Highest
NH: 6%
2.8%±1.8
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$95,474±$19k
4% below NH
$94,829±$7k
4% below NH
$169,583±$36kHighest
71% above NH
$94,375±$22kLowest
5% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$390,800±$71kLowest
about the NH average
$436,700±$20k
8% above NH
$824,900±$61kHighest
105% above NH
$546,500±$60k
36% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,181±$563
21% below NH
$1,607±$100
8% above NH
$2,253±$217Highest
51% above NH
$1,103±$76Lowest
26% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,203
7% below NH
$8,249
24% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$4,531Lowest
32% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
17.8%±16.7
NH: 48.2%
48.6%±6.3
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±17.5Highest
NH: 48.2%
12%±11.6Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Hanover and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
16.6%Highest
NH: 7.2%
8.3%
NH: 7.2%
5.6%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8.2%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.1%Highest
NH: 72.8%
52.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
73.7%
NH: 72.8%
78.1%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Highest
4 yrs newer than NH
1976Lowest
3 yrs older than NH
1976Lowest
3 yrs older than NH
1982
3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
11% below NH
23 min
15% below NH
20 minLowest
27% below NH
24 min
11% below NH
Work from home
11%±5.7Lowest
NH: 16.8%
18.6%±2.5
NH: 16.8%
26.4%±5Highest
NH: 16.8%
22.9%±6.6
NH: 16.8%
Hanover and Wolfeboro 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 #5 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #1 of 120 in NH #46 of 120 in NH
School district Mascoma Valley Regional School District Dover School District Dresden School District · Hanover School District Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town None in town Dover Senior High School Hanover High School Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.7Highest
10.7Lowest
11.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.