Compare towns
Dover vs Portsmouth vs Plymouth 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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 | Portsmouth | Plymouth | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
22,545 |
4,969Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
22.8±0.9Lowest 41% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Eliot 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% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth 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% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
42.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$89,500±$32kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Eliot 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. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$294,400±$28kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,296±$295Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth 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. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
17%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 38% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Portsmouth School District | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Portsmouth High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.