Compare towns
Dover vs Eliot vs Manchester
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($366k median).
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 | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364 |
7,146Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
38±1 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Manchester 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%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%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% |
6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Manchester and Dover 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. |
$81,007±$2kLowest 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. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% 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. |
$1,564±$37Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Manchester 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest 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 | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 6 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.