Compare towns
Deerfield vs Dover vs Eliot vs Stratham
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).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k 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.
| Measure | Deerfield | Dover | Eliot | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,932Lowest |
33,364Highest |
7,146 |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±4.2 10% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% 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%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Deerfield 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%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,563±$10k 63% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Deerfield 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. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,593±$318Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Eliot 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% 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% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%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. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Deerfield 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Deerfield School District | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham 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 | 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.