Compare towns
Madbury vs Dover vs Hanover vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Madbury | Dover | Hanover | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
33,364Highest |
11,685 |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1Highest 13% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Madbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Hanover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Durham 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.