Compare towns
Dover vs Nottingham vs Strafford 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).
Nottingham has the most kids (23.9% under 18).
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
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 | Nottingham | Strafford | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
5,357 |
4,306Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
38.8±6.7 about the U.S. average |
46.3±2.1 19% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Strafford 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% |
23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nottingham and Strafford 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% |
18.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Strafford 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% |
40.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Nottingham 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. |
$122,201±$20kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22k 51% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Nottingham and Strafford 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. |
$457,500±$26k 38% above U.S. |
$427,900±$29kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Nottingham 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. |
$2,068±$1kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$1,635±$246 16% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Nottingham 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. |
$7,319 135% above U.S. |
$6,086 95% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
92.1%±44.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Nottingham and Strafford 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% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 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. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nottingham 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 | #15 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Nottingham School District | Strafford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | 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.