Compare towns
Amesbury vs Dover vs Eliot vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Amesbury | Dover | Eliot | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
33,364Highest |
7,146Lowest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #64 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Amesbury | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— | 11.6 |
| 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.