Compare towns
Dover vs Berwick vs South Berwick vs Madbury
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).
Berwick has the most affordable homes ($369k median).
Madbury has the highest household income ($148k).
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 | Berwick | South Berwick | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,175 |
7,670 |
2,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.7±2.9Highest 5% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
37.7±2.1 3% below U.S. |
| Berwick and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and South Berwick 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% |
17.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berwick 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% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and South Berwick 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. |
$94,771±$24kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
$476,900±$31kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Madbury 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. |
$1,452±$430Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and 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% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Dover 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
— |
| 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.