Compare towns
Dover vs Eliot vs Ogunquit vs Salem
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 affordable homes ($437k median).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364 |
7,146 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit 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% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem 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±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
— | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Salem 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. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% 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% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Salem 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Salem |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | — | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.