Compare towns
Amesbury vs Kennebunk vs Dover
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).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Kennebunk | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
11,820Lowest |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest 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% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest 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. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% 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. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Dover 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. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #9 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | RSU 21 | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Kennebunk High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.6 |
12.7Highest |
| 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.