Compare towns
Dover vs Hancock vs Springfield 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).
Hancock has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($384k median).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
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 | Hancock | Springfield | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,791 |
1,122Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% 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. |
53.8±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8 32% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Eliot 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% |
30.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hancock 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Hancock 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. |
$95,208±$15k 18% above U.S. |
$100,893±$19k 25% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Springfield 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. |
$436,700±$22k 31% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$1,208±$650 15% below U.S. |
$1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$6,884 121% above U.S. |
$5,946 91% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.4%±55.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest 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% |
4.1% 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% |
85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 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. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Eliot 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 |
| School district | Dover School District | Contoocook Valley School District | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | 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.