Compare towns
Dover vs Portsmouth vs Stratham 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 affordable homes ($437k median).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Stratham has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Portsmouth | Stratham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
22,545 |
7,754 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above 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%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Dover 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% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Stratham 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. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Stratham 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. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Eliot 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. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Eliot 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Portsmouth 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town | 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.