Compare towns
Holderness vs Dover vs Kensington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
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 | Holderness | Dover | Kensington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
33,364Highest |
2,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
43.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Kensington and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.1%±2.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Kensington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±2.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
48.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$165,083±$18kHighest 67% above NH |
| Kensington and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$657,700±$47kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,813±$627 22% above NH |
| Holderness and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$9,637Highest 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
24.4%±38.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.2%±3.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Kensington and Dover 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 | Holderness School District | Dover School District | Kensington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| 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.