Compare towns
Dover vs Eliot vs Henniker vs Milford
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 oldest population (median age 50.8).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Eliot | Henniker | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,146 |
6,197Lowest |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
31.1±6.1Lowest 20% below U.S. |
36.8±2.5 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
27%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$95,206±$21k 18% above U.S. |
$97,768±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Milford 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±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$356,700±$49kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$398,800±$20k 20% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,081±$164Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,661±$126 18% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Milford 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. |
$8,877Highest 185% above U.S. |
$7,522 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Milford 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Henniker School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | — | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.