Compare towns
Harwich vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
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 | Harwich | Dover |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 13,598Highest |
5,930Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
44.9±2.3Lowest 12% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $96,966±$13kLowest 7% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $658,600±$26kLowest 17% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,017±$738Lowest 14% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
| Dover and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,189Lowest 30% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harwich and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 14% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #157 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Dover · Dover-Sherborn |
| High school in town | Monomoy Regional High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet |
MA 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.