Compare towns
Dorchester vs Eliot vs Hanover vs Carroll
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Eliot has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Carroll has the oldest population (median age 62.4).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Dorchester | Eliot | Hanover | Carroll |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 410Lowest |
7,146 |
11,685Highest |
659 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±10.5 44% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
62.4±4.8Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Carroll and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
39.5%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dorchester and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | — | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$64,821±$26kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 58% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$261,500±$42k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,078±$241Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Hanover and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779 21% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,356Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28%±47.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
22 min 18% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.