Compare towns
Dover vs Lee vs Barrington 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).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Barrington has the most affordable homes ($399k median).
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 | Lee | Barrington | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
4,576Lowest |
9,489 |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.9±1.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
38.7±2.3 about the U.S. average |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Lee and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±4 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Barrington 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% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Dover 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% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Lee 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. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$110,323±$14k 37% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Lee and Barrington 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. |
$480,600±$61kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$399,100±$30kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Lee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
— | $1,867±$194Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Barrington and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$7,121 128% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.1%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barrington and South Berwick 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% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Barrington 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #65 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Barrington 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 | 10 photos → | 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.