Compare towns
Mendon vs Dover vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Dover | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
33,364Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Dover and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Dover and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Dover 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.