Compare towns
New Durham vs Dover vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Durham has the most affordable homes ($339k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Madison has the most kids (23.1% 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 | New Durham | Dover | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,748 |
33,364Highest |
2,680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±7.5 7% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
50.3±9.7Highest 16% above NH |
| Madison and New Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
23.1%±6.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madison and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.1%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
| New Durham and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.9%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,194±$13k about the NH average |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$102,697±$11kHighest 4% above NH |
| Madison and New Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$27kLowest 16% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$388,700±$36k 3% below NH |
| Dover and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,417±$116Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,556±$256 4% above NH |
| Dover and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,774 13% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$4,074Lowest 39% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±42.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
69.2%±46Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Madison and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 30% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 10%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Dover School District | Madison School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 7 photos → |
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.