Compare towns
Peterborough vs Dover vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k 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 | Peterborough | Dover | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Highest |
5,930 |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
44.9±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2 27% above U.S. |
| Peterborough and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,401±$8kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$113,125±$19k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$475,900±$38k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,458±$1k 3% above U.S. |
| Dover and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,655 177% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,274Lowest 165% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peterborough and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #59 of 120 in NH | #1 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | — |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.