Compare towns

Madbury vs Newfields 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).
Newfields has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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.

MeasureMadburyNewfieldsDoverHolderness
People
Population
2,203
2,023
33,364Highest
1,917Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8.3%
NH: +4.6%
+5.3%
NH: +4.6%
+9.2%Highest
NH: +4.6%
-4.9%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
37.7±2.1
13% below NH
44.1±1.8Highest
about the NH average
36.9±1.9Lowest
15% below NH
39.4±7.4
9% below NH
Newfields 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%
18.9%±1.6
NH: 18.2%
16.9%±1.8
NH: 18.2%
14.7%±9.3Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
14.3%±2.6
NH: 20.1%
13.6%±0.9Lowest
NH: 20.1%
16.8%±1.8
NH: 20.1%
31.4%±4.6Highest
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52.6%
NH: 40.6%
68.1%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%
7.5%±7.2Highest
NH: 6%
6.2%±1.2
NH: 6%
2.6%±1.6Lowest
NH: 6%
Newfields and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$148,365±$30k
50% above NH
$197,885±$15kHighest
100% above NH
$94,829±$7kLowest
4% below NH
$107,863±$45k
9% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$476,900±$31k
18% above NH
$646,400±$34kHighest
61% above NH
$436,700±$20k
8% above NH
$363,100±$60kLowest
10% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,574±$759Lowest
6% above NH
$1,875±$323
26% above NH
$1,607±$100
8% above NH
$2,068±$385Highest
39% above NH
Holderness and Newfields 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%
43.3%±40.8
NH: 48.2%
48.6%±6.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
23.5%±21.2
NH: 48.2%
Dover and Newfields 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%
2.4%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8.3%
NH: 7.2%
12.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.9%
NH: 72.8%
95.3%Highest
NH: 72.8%
52.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
83.7%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1984
5 yrs newer than NH
1991Highest
12 yrs newer 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
26 min
4% below NH
23 minLowest
15% below NH
27 minHighest
about the NH average
Work from home
14%±3.6
NH: 16.8%
25.5%±3.7Highest
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 Newfields 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.