Compare towns
Dover vs Canterbury vs Topsham
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).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,353Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.6±3.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Topsham 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% |
17.4%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Canterbury 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% |
22.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest 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±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$129,333±$37kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Canterbury 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. |
$443,700±$21kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Canterbury 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. |
$2,136±$233Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$7,421 138% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
71.7%±48.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canterbury and Dover 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Shaker Regional School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.