Compare towns
Madbury vs Plymouth 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).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Holderness has the oldest population (median age 39.4).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Plymouth | Dover | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203 |
6,601 |
33,364Highest |
1,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
39.4±7.4Highest 9% below NH |
| Holderness and Madbury 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% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest 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% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
| Madbury and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
| Madbury and Dover 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 |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% 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 |
$6,288 6% below 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% |
33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Plymouth 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% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
56.3% 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 |
1981 2 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 |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Madbury 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 | — | #47 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Dover School District | Holderness School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.