Compare towns

Dover vs Eliot vs South Berwick vs Windham

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).
South Berwick has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).

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.

MeasureDoverEliotSouth BerwickWindham
People
Population
33,364Highest
7,146Lowest
7,670
16,038
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
39±2.5
about the U.S. average
41.1±2.9
6% above U.S.
Kids under 18
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
26.7%±6
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
Windham and South Berwick 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%
15.8%±3
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
41.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
Dover and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,829±$7kLowest
17% above U.S.
$101,522±$10k
26% above U.S.
$99,572±$13k
23% above U.S.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
$498,900±$62k
50% above U.S.
$428,300±$26kLowest
29% above U.S.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,607±$100Lowest
14% above U.S.
$1,948±$471
38% above U.S.
$1,726±$83
22% above U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,249
164% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
$4,956
59% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% 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%
53.5%±24.5
U.S.: 51.1%
52.2%±50.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Eliot and South Berwick 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%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
78.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
14% below U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
Work from home
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.6%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Windham 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 #58 of 133 in ME #13 of 120 in NH
School district Dover School District RSU 35/MSAD 35 RSU 35/MSAD 35 Windham School District
High school in town Dover Senior High School None in town Marshwood High School Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7Lowest
—
13.0Highest
12.8
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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.