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.
| Measure | Dover | Eliot | South Berwick | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| 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 |
| 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.



