Compare towns
Auburn vs Dover vs Eliot vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Lee has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
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 | Auburn | Dover | Eliot | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119 |
33,364Highest |
7,146 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lee and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
— |
| Eliot and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092 159% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Auburn 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 | #44 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.