Compare towns

Eliot vs Bellows Falls vs Windsor vs Dover

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

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.

MeasureEliotBellows FallsWindsorDover
People
Population
7,146
2,891Lowest
3,554
33,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
-12.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
41.3±6.7
6% above U.S.
44.8±6.5
15% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
Eliot and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.3%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.6%±6.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.5%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
27.8%±6.2
U.S.: 17.2%
23.7%±5.7
U.S.: 17.2%
29.7%±6.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Windsor and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
43.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
27.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
39.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
8.2%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
0.7%±0.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Bellows Falls and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$101,522±$10kHighest
26% above U.S.
$56,086±$2k
31% below U.S.
$52,484±$11kLowest
35% below U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$498,900±$62kHighest
50% above U.S.
$195,600±$35kLowest
41% below U.S.
$207,500±$31k
38% below U.S.
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above U.S.
$1,038±$109
27% below U.S.
$1,026±$89Lowest
27% below U.S.
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,549
46% above U.S.
$4,448Lowest
43% above U.S.
$5,209
67% above U.S.
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.1%±20.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.9%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
31.5%±17Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
25.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
57.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1945
35 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
15% below U.S.
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
23 minHighest
14% below U.S.
23 minHighest
14% below U.S.
Work from home
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
6.9%±5.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.3%±5
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Dover and Eliot 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 #19 of 133 in ME — #61 of 70 in VT #64 of 120 in NH
School district RSU 35/MSAD 35 — — Dover School District
High school in town None in town — — Dover Senior High School
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.