Compare towns

Newmarket vs Dover vs Henniker vs Durham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newmarket has the oldest population (median age 41.2).
Dover has the most kids (16.9% under 18).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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.

MeasureNewmarketDoverHennikerDurham
People
Population
9,463
33,364Highest
6,197Lowest
15,080
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.5%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+9.2%
NH: +4.6%
+27.9%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+5.8%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.2±1.9Highest
5% below NH
36.9±1.9
15% below NH
31.1±6.1
28% below NH
20.8±0.3Lowest
52% below NH
Kids under 18
15.6%±2.7
NH: 18.2%
16.9%±1.8Highest
NH: 18.2%
15.3%±3.7
NH: 18.2%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Dover and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.1%±2.8
NH: 20.1%
16.8%±1.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
16.5%±6
NH: 20.1%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
NH: 20.1%
Dover and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
49.7%
NH: 40.6%
52%
NH: 40.6%
41.4%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
75.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9Lowest
NH: 6%
6.2%±1.2
NH: 6%
27%±6.5
NH: 6%
55.1%±3.2Highest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$100,845±$13k
about the NH average
$94,829±$7kLowest
4% below NH
$95,206±$21k
4% below NH
$124,056±$21kHighest
25% above NH
Durham and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$455,000±$22k
13% above NH
$436,700±$20k
8% above NH
$356,700±$49kLowest
11% below NH
$504,300±$41kHighest
25% above NH
Durham and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,671±$69Highest
12% above NH
$1,607±$100
8% above NH
$1,081±$164Lowest
27% below NH
$1,429±$143
4% below NH
Newmarket and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,734
31% above NH
$8,249Lowest
24% above NH
$8,877
33% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.3%±8.3
NH: 48.2%
48.6%±6.3
NH: 48.2%
43.5%±22.6Lowest
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±16Highest
NH: 48.2%
Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.6%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8.3%
NH: 7.2%
11.6%
NH: 7.2%
15.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.9%
NH: 72.8%
52.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
64.5%Highest
NH: 72.8%
64.4%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Highest
4 yrs newer than NH
1976
3 yrs older than NH
1974Lowest
5 yrs older than NH
1981
2 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
6% above NH
23 min
15% below NH
20 min
24% below NH
19 minLowest
27% below NH
Work from home
17.3%±3.3
NH: 16.8%
18.6%±2.5
NH: 16.8%
15.5%±5.6Lowest
NH: 16.8%
19.4%±3.5Highest
NH: 16.8%
Durham 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 #39 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #56 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH
School district Newmarket School District Dover School District Henniker School District Oyster River Coop School District
High school in town Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School Dover Senior High School None in town Oyster River High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.9Lowest
12.7Highest
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12.3
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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.