Compare towns
Dover vs Eliot vs Franconia vs South Hampton
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).
Franconia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
South Hampton has the highest household income ($153k).
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 | Eliot | Franconia | South Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,146 |
1,060 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
55.6±7Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.1±5.3 16% above U.S. |
| Franconia and Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Hampton 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% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
36.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Franconia and Eliot 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% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±5.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Franconia 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. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$87,292±$28kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$152,500±$44kHighest 89% above U.S. |
| South Hampton 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±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$530,300±$96k 59% above U.S. |
$661,100±$45kHighest 99% above U.S. |
| South Hampton and Franconia 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. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,281±$278Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,889±$489 34% above U.S. |
| Eliot and South Hampton 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$7,451 139% above U.S. |
$9,109Highest 192% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±74.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Franconia and Eliot 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Eliot 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 | — | — |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lafayette Regional School District | South Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.