Compare towns
Dover vs Pelham 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).
Pelham has the most kids (22% under 18).
Strafford has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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 | Pelham | Strafford | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
14,449 |
4,306Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%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. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
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% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Strafford 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2% 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%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest 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. |
$122,105±$22k 51% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Pelham 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. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$427,900±$29kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Eliot 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. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,635±$246 16% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Strafford 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. |
$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% |
67.3%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Pelham 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%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% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 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. |
30 min 12% 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% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Pelham School District | Strafford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Pelham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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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.