Compare towns
Dover vs Hillsborough vs Eliot vs Rollinsford
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).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Hillsborough | Eliot | Rollinsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
5,980 |
7,146 |
2,626Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.9±4.6 5% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
38.8±5.5 about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Hillsborough 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% |
17.4%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Rollinsford and Hillsborough 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% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Rollinsford 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% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$84,495±$12kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$89,500±$26k 11% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$272,300±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$398,100±$33k 20% 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. |
$1,198±$390Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,809±$394 28% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Rollinsford 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. |
$5,815 86% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,851 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±26.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hillsborough and Eliot 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% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rollinsford 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 | #97 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #94 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Rollinsford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.5Lowest |
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| 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.