Compare towns
Dover vs Lebanon vs Eliot vs Keene
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%).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Lebanon | Eliot | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
14,999 |
7,146Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest 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% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lebanon 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% |
57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Lebanon 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. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below 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. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Lebanon 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. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Lebanon School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Lebanon High School | None in town | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.7Lowest |
— | 12.3 |
| 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.