What stands out worked out from the figures below

Goffstown has the most homeowners (82.7%).

Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

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	Goffstown	Dover
People
Population	18,513Lowest	33,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.3±3.1Highest 5% below NH	36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH
	Goffstown and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2%	16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2%
	Dover and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%	16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Goffstown and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	52%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6%	6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,958±$12kHighest 15% above NH	$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH	$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH	$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Lowest 4% above NH	$8,249Highest 24% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2%	48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Goffstown and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	8.3%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above NH	23 minLowest 15% below NH
Work from home	13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 120 in NH	#64 of 120 in NH
School district	Goffstown School District	Dover School District
High school in town	Goffstown High School	Dover Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Lowest	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.