Compare towns
South Berwick vs Eliot vs Dover vs York
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
York has the most people working from home (26%).
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 | South Berwick | Eliot | Dover | York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,670 |
7,146Lowest |
33,364Highest |
13,986 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.5±5.2 27% above U.S. |
| Eliot and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| York and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$121,250±$25kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| York and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,490±$336Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956 59% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,658 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±10.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| York and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Dover School District | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
— | 12.7 |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.