Compare towns
Dover vs Gorham vs Windham vs Eliot
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).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Gorham | Windham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
18,300 |
19,188 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.4±2.9 about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Windham 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% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Windham 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. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Gorham 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. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Gorham 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. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Dover 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Gorham High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.