Compare towns
Eliot vs Lyme vs Enfield 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
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Enfield has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Eliot | Lyme | Enfield | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
1,710Lowest |
4,475 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
58.3±5.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Enfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
7.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Dover 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% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Enfield 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% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$95,474±$19k 18% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$390,800±$71kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,181±$563Lowest 16% 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 | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,203 99% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.8%±16.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #5 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lyme School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.