Compare towns
Madbury vs Lyme vs Dover vs Holderness
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).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Lyme | Dover | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203 |
1,710Lowest |
33,364Highest |
1,917 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
| Lyme and Holderness 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% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Lyme 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% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
| Madbury and Lyme 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 |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
| Holderness and Dover 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Lyme School District | Dover School District | Holderness School District |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.