Compare towns
Strafford vs Dover vs Thetford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Thetford has the most affordable homes ($330k median).
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 | Strafford | Dover | Thetford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372Lowest |
33,364Highest |
2,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.6±6.2 12% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thetford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$88,045±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$329,500±$96kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Dover and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,141±$96 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149 129% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,948Lowest 123% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±30.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thetford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Strafford 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #40 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Strafford School District | Dover School District | Thetford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.