Compare towns

Madbury vs Dover 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

Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% 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.

MeasureMadburyDoverEliot
People
Population
2,203Lowest
33,364Highest
7,146
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.7±2.1
3% below U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
Kids under 18
29%±5.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
14.3%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.4%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Dover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$148,365±$30kHighest
84% above U.S.
$94,829±$7kLowest
17% above U.S.
$101,522±$10k
26% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$476,900±$31k
43% above U.S.
$436,700±$20kLowest
31% above U.S.
$498,900±$62kHighest
50% above U.S.
Eliot and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,574±$759Lowest
11% above U.S.
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,948±$471Highest
38% 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
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$8,249
164% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
16.7%±15.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1Highest
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
4.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1984Highest
4 yrs newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minHighest
4% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
Work from home
14%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
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 — #64 of 120 in NH #19 of 133 in ME
School district Oyster River Coop School District Dover School District RSU 35/MSAD 35
High school in town None in town Dover Senior High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.7
—
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.