Compare towns
Bath vs Dover vs Gray vs South Berwick
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Bath | Dover | Gray | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
33,364Highest |
8,429 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Bath and Gray 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%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest 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. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Gray 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±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Dover and South Berwick 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. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% 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% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and South Berwick 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dover School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Dover Senior High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.7 |
12.5Lowest |
13.0 |
| 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.