Compare towns
Dover vs Nelson vs Surry 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).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
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 | Nelson | Surry | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
648Lowest |
1,052 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1 15% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Surry 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Surry 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% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Nelson 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% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry 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±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Surry 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±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
$331,400±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Surry and Eliot 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. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$6,384 105% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | — | — | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Nelson School District | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.