Compare towns
Deerfield vs Dover vs Durham 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
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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.
| Measure | Deerfield | Dover | Durham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,932Lowest |
33,364Highest |
15,080 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±4.2 10% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Deerfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,563±$10kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $421,000±$33kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Durham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,593±$318 13% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$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 | $7,369 136% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.4%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Deerfield 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Deerfield School District | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.