Compare towns
Madbury vs Keene vs Durham vs Dover
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).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Keene | Durham | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
22,939 |
10,681 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1Highest 13% below NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
| Madbury and Keene 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% |
14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Keene 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% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Madbury and Durham 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 |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Durham and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| Dover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
53.6% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Keene 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 | — | #81 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Keene School District | — | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | — | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.