Compare towns
Dover vs Hampton vs Bellows Falls 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hampton has the most people working from home (21.7%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,426 |
2,891Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Eliot 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% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Dover 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% |
30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls 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. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Hampton 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. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Eliot 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. |
$1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Hampton 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. |
$6,813 118% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton and Eliot 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | — | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Winnacunnet High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.1Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.