Compare towns
Dover vs Windham 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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
South Berwick has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Windham | Bedford | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,038 |
23,746 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Bedford and Windham 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and South Berwick 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bedford 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. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and South Berwick 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%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% |
93.9%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. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990 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. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Windham School District | Bedford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Windham High School | Bedford High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.8 |
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.