Compare towns
Plymouth vs Dover vs Durham vs Milford
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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Durham has the highest household income ($124k).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Durham | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,601Lowest |
33,364Highest |
15,080 |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
36.9±1.9Highest 15% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
| Dover and Milford 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Milford 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% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Durham and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,661±$126Highest 11% above NH |
| Milford 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 |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Milford 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% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
64.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7 |
12.3 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.