What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gilford has the most homeowners (93.1%).

Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gilford	Dover
People
Population	7,830Lowest	33,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH	36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2%	16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Gilford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1%	16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Gilford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Lowest NH: 40.6%	52%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%	6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,635±$11kHighest 18% above NH	$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,500±$56kHighest 13% above NH	$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH
	Gilford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH	$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH
	Dover and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,868Lowest 27% below NH	$8,249Highest 24% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2%	48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Gilford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%	8.3%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest NH: 72.8%	52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH	1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 18% below NH	23 minHighest 15% below NH
Work from home	16.9%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8%	18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8%
	Dover and Gilford 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	#45 of 120 in NH	#64 of 120 in NH
School district	Gilford School District	Dover School District
High school in town	Gilford High School	Dover Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Lowest	12.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.