Compare towns
Dover vs Hampton Falls vs Plainfield 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).
Hampton Falls has the most expensive homes ($773k median).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Hampton Falls | Plainfield | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,328Lowest |
2,522 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.5±7.3 27% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Hampton Falls 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% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Hampton Falls 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% |
54.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Plainfield 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. |
$166,157±$14kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$772,600±$76kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,852±$475 31% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Falls 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 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Hampton Falls School District | Plainfield School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.