Compare towns

Dover vs Lebanon vs White River Junction 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

Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
White River Junction has the most affordable homes ($279k 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.

MeasureDoverLebanonWhite River JunctionEliot
People
Population
33,364Highest
14,999
3,364Lowest
7,146
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
36.9±1.9
5% below U.S.
38.9±3.1
about the U.S. average
33.7±3.2Lowest
13% below U.S.
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
Kids under 18
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
14.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.1%±5Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
White River Junction and Dover 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%
21.4%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
12.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2Highest
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%
38.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
6.9%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.2%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Lebanon 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.
$98,147±$10k
22% above U.S.
$77,168±$4kLowest
4% below U.S.
$101,522±$10kHighest
26% above U.S.
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.
$278,800±$78kLowest
16% below 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.
$1,744±$132
23% above U.S.
$1,222±$216Lowest
14% below U.S.
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above 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.
$5,651
81% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% 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%
42.9%±17.3
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%
U.S.: 12.5%
7%
U.S.: 12.5%
12.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
51.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
43.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1963Lowest
17 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minHighest
14% below U.S.
14 minLowest
47% below U.S.
15 min
42% below U.S.
23 min
15% below U.S.
Work from home
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±5.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
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
School district Dover School District Lebanon School District — RSU 35/MSAD 35
High school in town Dover Senior High School Lebanon High School — None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7Highest
11.7Lowest
— —
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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.