Compare towns
Plymouth vs Dover vs Keene
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 youngest population (median age 24.6).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
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 | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,601Lowest |
33,364Highest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
37.6±2.3Highest 13% below NH |
| Keene and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Dover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
$78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22k 27% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$6,812 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Keene 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 31% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Dover School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7 |
12.3Lowest |
| 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.