Compare towns
Dover vs Pelham vs South Berwick
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).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Pelham | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
14,449 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Pelham and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Pelham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Pelham 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. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Dover 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. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and South Berwick 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Pelham School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Pelham High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
10.4Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| 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.