Compare towns
Plaistow vs Hanover vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plaistow has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Plaistow | Hanover | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,861Lowest |
11,685 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7Highest 7% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
| Plaistow and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Plaistow and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13k 9% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32kLowest about the NH average |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194Lowest 8% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 7% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Hanover High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| 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.