Compare towns
Dover vs Rochester vs Rollinsford 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).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Rochester | Rollinsford | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
33,144 |
2,626Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.8±5.5 about the U.S. average |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Rochester 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% |
18.2%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rollinsford and Rochester 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% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
$89,500±$26k 11% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$398,100±$33k 20% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Dover and South Berwick 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. |
$1,369±$72Lowest 3% below U.S. |
$1,809±$394Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Rollinsford and South Berwick 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. |
$5,334 71% above U.S. |
$6,851 120% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±26.1Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rollinsford 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 | #98 of 120 in NH | #94 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Rochester School District | Rollinsford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Spaulding High School | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
13.2Highest |
— | 13.0 |
| 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.