Compare towns

Bath 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

Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).

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.

MeasureBathDoverEliot
People
Population
8,815
33,364Highest
7,146Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.4±3
17% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
Eliot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.5%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
Dover and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
25.2%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Eliot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.5%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Dover and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$69,390±$12kLowest
14% below U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
$101,522±$10kHighest
26% above U.S.
Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$310,900±$30kLowest
7% below U.S.
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
$498,900±$62kHighest
50% above U.S.
Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,044±$116Lowest
26% below 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
$3,847Lowest
23% above U.S.
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
$4,549
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.3%±15.2
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Eliot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
9% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
Work from home
19.3%±6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Bath and Dover 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 #31 of 133 in ME #64 of 120 in NH #19 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 01 - LKRSU Dover School District RSU 35/MSAD 35
High school in town Morse High School Dover Senior High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
14.8Highest
12.7Lowest
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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.