Compare towns
Dover vs Sandwich vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Sandwich has the most people working from home (36.1%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($350k median).
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 | Sandwich | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,757 |
51Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
63.6±2.8Highest 47% above NH |
61.8±13.1 43% above NH |
| Sandwich and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
7%±3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±59.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Dover and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
46.6%±8.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
39.2%±46.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Sandwich and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
63.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
25%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±3 NH: 6% |
0%±33.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Sandwich 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 4% below NH |
$140,694±$22kHighest 42% above NH |
$89,375±$39kLowest 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$437,700±$79kHighest 9% above NH |
$350,000±$170kLowest 13% below NH |
| Sandwich and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,679±$1kHighest 13% above NH |
— |
| Sandwich and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$4,494 33% below NH |
$3,813Lowest 43% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
56.4%±41.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
— |
| Sandwich 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 NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94% NH: 72.8% |
100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
— |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
36.1%±16.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.1%±26.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Sandwich and Ellsworth 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 | — | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.