Compare towns
Dover vs Bedford vs South Berwick
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 most renters (47.3% rent).
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Bedford | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
23,746 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Bedford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Bedford High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.