Compare towns

Bow vs Dover vs Eliot vs Newfields

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Newfields has the most expensive homes ($646k 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.

MeasureBowDoverEliotNewfields
People
Population
8,335
33,364Highest
7,146
2,023Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
44.1±1.8
13% above U.S.
Eliot and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.9%±1.6
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
13.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
68.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
7.5%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Newfields and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$172,857±$16k
114% above U.S.
$94,829±$7kLowest
17% above U.S.
$101,522±$10k
26% above U.S.
$197,885±$15kHighest
145% above U.S.
Newfields and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34k
52% above U.S.
$436,700±$20kLowest
31% above U.S.
$498,900±$62k
50% above U.S.
$646,400±$34kHighest
94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178Lowest
9% above U.S.
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above U.S.
$1,875±$323
33% above U.S.
Eliot and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584
207% above U.S.
$8,249
164% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.3%±40.8
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
2.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
2.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1991Highest
11 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
23 min
14% below U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
22.7%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
25.5%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Newfields and Bow 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 #26 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #19 of 133 in ME —
School district Bow School District Dover School District RSU 35/MSAD 35 Newfields School District
High school in town Bow High School Dover Senior High School None in town None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Highest
12.7Lowest
— —
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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.