Compare towns
Dover vs Salem 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).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
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 | Salem | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364 |
44,795Highest |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest 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%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Dover 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. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Salem and Eliot 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. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Salem 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. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Salem 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% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Salem | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.