Compare towns
Hanover vs South Berwick 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
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | South Berwick | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
7,670 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83Lowest 22% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and South Berwick 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
13.0Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.