Compare towns
Dover vs Barre 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
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
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 | Dover | Barre | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,412 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$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 | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$5,192 66% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest 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 | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #19 of 70 in VT | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.