Compare towns

Berwick vs Dover vs Durham

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Berwick has the most homeowners (87.4%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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.

MeasureBerwickDoverDurham
People
Population
8,175Lowest
33,364Highest
15,080
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
40.7±2.9Highest
5% above U.S.
36.9±1.9
5% below U.S.
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.7%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.2%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
35%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,771±$24kLowest
17% above U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$369,100±$19kLowest
11% above U.S.
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,452±$430
about the U.S. average
$1,607±$100Highest
14% above U.S.
$1,429±$143Lowest
about the U.S. average
Dover and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,436Lowest
42% above U.S.
$8,249
164% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50.6%±46
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
Work from home
20.2%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Berwick and Durham 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 #101 of 133 in ME #64 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH
School district RSU 60/MSAD 60 Dover School District Oyster River Coop School District
High school in town None in town Dover Senior High School Oyster River High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.7Highest
12.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet None yet 51 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.