Compare towns
Dover vs Plymouth vs Bow 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).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | Bow | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,601Lowest |
8,335 |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Bow 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%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Bow 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% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Dover 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% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$292,400±$22kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,108±$255Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$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. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Dover 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% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Plymouth Regional High School | Bow High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.8 |
12.8 |
13.0Highest |
| 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.