Compare towns

Atkinson vs Dover vs Eliot

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Atkinson has the highest household income ($146k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).

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.

MeasureAtkinsonDoverEliot
People
Population
7,267
33,364Highest
7,146Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
57.1±2.8Highest
47% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
50.8±5.9
31% above U.S.
Atkinson and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.1%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
Dover and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
27.4%±5.2
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Eliot and Atkinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.8%±4
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Dover and Atkinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$146,380±$32kHighest
81% above U.S.
$94,829±$7kLowest
17% above U.S.
$101,522±$10k
26% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$555,200±$65kHighest
67% above U.S.
$436,700±$20kLowest
31% above U.S.
$498,900±$62k
50% above U.S.
Atkinson and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,140±$32Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above U.S.
Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,918
122% above U.S.
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
66.5%±39.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Atkinson and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
1.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
7% above U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
Work from home
21.1%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Atkinson 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 #32 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #19 of 133 in ME
School district Timberlane Regional School District Dover School District RSU 35/MSAD 35
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 Our Story 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.