Compare towns
Dover vs Eliot vs Lee
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 youngest population (median age 36.9).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,146 |
5,719Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Lee and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Eliot 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% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% 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%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Lee 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. |
$83,750±$13kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$352,700±$19kLowest 6% 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. |
$1,375±$212Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lee 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% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest 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 | #209 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lee |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Lee Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → |
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.