Compare towns
Dover vs Canterbury vs Eliot 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).
Canterbury has the highest household income ($129k).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
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 | Canterbury | Eliot | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,353Lowest |
7,146 |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.6±3.8 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Canterbury 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% |
22.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Canterbury 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% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canterbury and Dover 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. |
$129,333±$37kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Eliot 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. |
$443,700±$21k 33% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$2,136±$233Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Eliot 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. |
$7,421 138% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
71.7%±48.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canterbury and Eliot 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% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canterbury 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Shaker Regional School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| 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.