Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dover vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Dover | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
33,364Highest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Highest 10% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Plainfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Hanover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.