Compare towns
Dover vs Merrimack 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
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Merrimack has the most kids (22% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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.
| Measure | Dover | Merrimack | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
28,164 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.5±2.2 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Merrimack 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. |
$127,219±$16kHighest 58% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Merrimack and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$458,600±$15k 38% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Merrimack 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. |
$1,932±$147 37% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Merrimack 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. |
$7,345 135% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Merrimack 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 | #58 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Merrimack School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Merrimack High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.5Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.