Compare towns
Dover vs South Berwick vs Surry
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).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
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 | South Berwick | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,670 |
1,052Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
44.7±5.1Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Surry 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% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry and Dover 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% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry 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±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Surry and South Berwick 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. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
$331,400±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Surry 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. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$6,384 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest 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% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and South Berwick 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Marshwood High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
13.0Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.