Compare towns
Dover vs Newfields vs Townsend 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).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Townsend has the most kids (21% 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 | Newfields | Townsend | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,023Lowest |
9,100 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Newfields 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% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Newfields 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% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields 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. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323 33% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Newfields 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Townsend 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Newfields School District | North Middlesex | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 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.