Compare towns
Dover vs Stratham vs Hanover 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).
Stratham has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
7,754 |
8,479 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Stratham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Hanover 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±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$2,254±$249 60% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Hanover 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Stratham 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% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.