Compare towns

Dover vs Stratham vs Windham 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 people working from home (25.3%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).

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.

MeasureDoverStrathamWindhamEliot
People
Population
33,364Highest
7,754
16,038
7,146Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
41.6±4.9
7% above U.S.
41.1±2.9
6% above 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%±5.3
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Windham 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%±3.6
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.6Lowest
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%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Dover and Stratham 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.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% above U.S.
$101,522±$10k
26% above U.S.
Windham 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.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
$498,900±$62k
50% above U.S.
Windham and Stratham 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±$377
78% above U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
$1,948±$471
38% above U.S.
Windham and Stratham 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%±38.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.2%±50.9
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Stratham and Eliot 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%
U.S.: 12.5%
2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
92.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1986
6 yrs newer than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
14% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
Work from home
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
25.3%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Stratham and Windham 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 #13 of 120 in NH #19 of 133 in ME
School district Dover School District Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District Windham School District RSU 35/MSAD 35
High school in town Dover Senior High School None in town Windham High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7Lowest
—
12.8Highest
—
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.