Compare towns
Plymouth vs Dover vs Auburn vs Plymouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Plymouth has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Plymouth | Dover | Auburn | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,601 |
33,364Highest |
6,119 |
4,969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
63.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$89,500±$32k 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$294,400±$28k 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,296±$295 13% below NH |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
$6,483 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3% NH: 72.8% |
52.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 31% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Dover School District | Auburn School District | — |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.