Compare towns
Dover vs Holderness vs Deerfield vs South Berwick
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).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Holderness | Deerfield | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,917Lowest |
4,932 |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
42.8±4.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Deerfield and Holderness 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% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Deerfield 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% |
31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and South Berwick 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. |
$107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
$131,563±$10kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$363,100±$60kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$421,000±$33k 27% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Dover and South Berwick 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. |
$2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,593±$318Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Holderness and South Berwick 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. |
$3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,369 136% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Dover 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% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Deerfield 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 | — | #61 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Holderness School District | Deerfield School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | — | 13.0Highest |
| 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.