Compare towns
Marlow vs Dover vs Lempster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marlow has the most renters (7.4% rent).
Dover has the most people working from home (34.2%).
Lempster has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Marlow | Dover | Lempster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 855Lowest |
5,930Highest |
953 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.8±11.7Highest 36% above U.S. |
44.9±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2 31% above U.S. |
| Marlow and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marlow and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,455±$12k 37% above U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$86,607±$12kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,400±$49k about the U.S. average |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$241,900±$29kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,154±$160Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
— |
| Dover and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,826 87% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,558Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.2%±95.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lempster and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 33% above U.S. |
35 minLowest 31% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Marlow School District | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Lempster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 4 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.