Compare towns
Eliot vs New Castle vs Rye 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 shortest commute (23 min average).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Rye has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
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 | New Castle | Rye | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
827Lowest |
5,611 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
55.1±3 42% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| New Castle and Rye 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% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Rye 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% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| New Castle and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89k 209% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,509Highest 173% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle and Rye 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 | — | #2 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | New Castle School District | Rye 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.