Compare towns
Franconia vs Dover vs Sugar Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franconia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Sugar Hill has the highest household income ($154k).
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 | Franconia | Dover | Sugar Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,060 |
33,364Highest |
658Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+14.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±7 28% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
60.8±2.1Highest 40% above NH |
| Sugar Hill and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±5.5 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dover and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.6%±6.7 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
37.2%±12.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sugar Hill and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±5.4 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,292±$28kLowest 12% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$154,091±$32kHighest 56% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $530,300±$96k 32% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$639,700±$50kHighest 59% above NH |
| Sugar Hill and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,281±$278 14% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,208±$630Lowest 19% below NH |
| Dover and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,451 12% above NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$7,340Lowest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
40%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1964Lowest 15 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Sugar Hill 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Lafayette Regional School District | Dover School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.