Compare towns
Middlesex vs Dover vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Westford has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Middlesex | Dover | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
33,364Highest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±8.6 13% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Westford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Dover and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,282Lowest 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Westford 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Dover School District | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school 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 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.