Compare towns
Dover vs Stratham vs Bedford 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).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Stratham | Bedford | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,754 |
23,746 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Bedford and Stratham 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% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Bedford 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. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Stratham 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. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Bedford 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. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Bedford 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Bedford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Bedford High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
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.