Compare towns
Dover vs Royalton vs Castleton 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).
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
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 | Royalton | Castleton | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,752Lowest |
4,453 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.9±10.1 13% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Royalton 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% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton 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% |
22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Royalton 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% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$103,938±$24kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Royalton 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. |
$263,200±$73k 21% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$1,040±$391Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$4,675 50% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Eliot 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% |
13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Royalton 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 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | White River Unified School District #79 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | White River Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.