Compare towns
Dover vs Eliot vs Hampton 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).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
Hampton has the most people working from home (21.7%).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% 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 | Eliot | Hampton | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,146Lowest |
16,426 |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Hampton 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% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Dover 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% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Topsham 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±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Hampton 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. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Eliot 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. |
$1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Hampton 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. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$6,813 118% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% 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% |
56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Winnacunnet High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.1Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.