Compare towns
Dover vs Naples vs Topsham 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).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k 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 | Naples | Topsham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
3,985Lowest |
9,706 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.8±6.8 28% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Naples 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% |
15.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Dover 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% |
23.3%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Topsham 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% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Topsham 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. |
$78,188±$13kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$340,100±$48kLowest about the U.S. average |
$360,800±$20k 8% above 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. |
$1,941±$625 37% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Naples 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. |
$2,784Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.9%±40.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Naples and Eliot 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% |
9.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 45% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±11.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Naples 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Lake Region High School | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.7Lowest |
12.2 |
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| 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.