Compare towns

Plymouth vs Dover vs Plymouth vs Holderness

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 the most people working from home (18.6%).
Plymouth has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
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.

MeasurePlymouthDoverPlymouthHolderness
People
Population
6,601
33,364Highest
4,969
1,917Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-4.4%
NH: +4.6%
+9.2%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+6.1%
NH: +4.6%
-4.9%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
24.6±3.4
43% below NH
36.9±1.9
15% below NH
22.8±0.9Lowest
47% below NH
39.4±7.4Highest
9% below NH
Holderness 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%±1.8Highest
NH: 18.2%
13.3%±4.1Lowest
NH: 18.2%
14.7%±9.3
NH: 18.2%
Dover and Holderness 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%±1.8
NH: 20.1%
9.4%±2.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
31.4%±4.6Highest
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
54%
NH: 40.6%
52%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
63.7%Highest
NH: 40.6%
55.7%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
33.7%±3.5
NH: 6%
6.2%±1.2
NH: 6%
42.5%±2.1Highest
NH: 6%
2.6%±1.6Lowest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$77,027±$26kLowest
22% below NH
$94,829±$7k
4% below NH
$89,500±$32k
10% below NH
$107,863±$45kHighest
9% above NH
Holderness and Dover 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±$20kHighest
8% above NH
$294,400±$28k
27% below NH
$363,100±$60k
10% below NH
Dover and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,108±$255Lowest
26% below NH
$1,607±$100
8% above NH
$1,296±$295
13% below NH
$2,068±$385Highest
39% above NH
Holderness and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,288
6% below NH
$8,249Highest
24% above NH
$6,483
about the NH average
$3,923Lowest
41% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
33.8%±11.6
NH: 48.2%
48.6%±6.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
31.8%±10.7
NH: 48.2%
23.5%±21.2Lowest
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%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
17%
NH: 7.2%
12.1%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
56.3%
NH: 72.8%
52.7%
NH: 72.8%
50.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
83.7%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981Highest
2 yrs newer than NH
1976
3 yrs older than NH
1971Lowest
8 yrs older than NH
1981Highest
2 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 min
31% below NH
23 min
15% below NH
16 minLowest
39% below NH
27 minHighest
about the NH average
Work from home
11.7%±3.6
NH: 16.8%
18.6%±2.5Highest
NH: 16.8%
10.5%±4
NH: 16.8%
9.4%±4.1Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #47 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #47 of 120 in NH —
School district Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District Dover School District — Holderness 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
— —
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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.