Compare towns
Madbury vs Dover vs Eliot vs Holderness
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).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Madbury | Dover | Eliot | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203 |
33,364Highest |
7,146 |
1,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%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. |
39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7%Highest 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% |
2.6%±1.6 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. |
$107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
| Madbury and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$363,100±$60kLowest 9% 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±$471 38% above U.S. |
$2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Holderness 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. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,923Lowest 26% 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% |
23.5%±21.2 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Highest 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. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest 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 | Holderness School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| 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.