Compare towns
Pelham vs Dorchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most expensive homes ($553k median).
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k 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 | Pelham | Dorchester |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 14,449Highest |
410Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
— |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88 4% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 10% above NH |
40 minHighest 50% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham and Dorchester 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Pelham School District | — |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet |
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.