Compare towns
Dover vs Windham vs Portsmouth 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 affordable homes ($437k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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.
| Measure | Dover | Windham | Portsmouth | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,038 |
22,545 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth 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% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Windham 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. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Windham and Portsmouth 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. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% 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% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Windham 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Windham School District | Portsmouth School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Windham High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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| 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.