Compare towns
Dover vs Durham vs Stratham 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 most renters (47.3% rent).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Stratham has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Stratham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
15,080 |
7,754 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Stratham 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Dover 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Stratham 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Eliot 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Stratham 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.