Compare towns

Bath vs Dover vs Phippsburg vs Kittery

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%).
Phippsburg has the most homeowners (81.8%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).

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.

MeasureBathDoverPhippsburgKittery
People
Population
8,815
33,364Highest
2,238Lowest
10,473
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.4±3
17% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
54.3±6.3Highest
40% above U.S.
46.8±2.3
20% above U.S.
Phippsburg and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.5%±3.7
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
11.5%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
14.7%±2.9
U.S.: 22%
Dover and Bath 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%
34.4%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
26.9%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
Phippsburg and Kittery 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%
37.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.5%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.3%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5
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.
$107,833±$19kHighest
34% above U.S.
$93,728±$14k
16% above U.S.
Phippsburg 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.
$335,800±$47k
about the U.S. average
$468,500±$31kHighest
41% above U.S.
Kittery and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,044±$116
26% below U.S.
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,022±$346Lowest
28% below U.S.
$1,716±$224Highest
21% above U.S.
Kittery 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.
$2,034Lowest
35% below U.S.
$4,518
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.3%±15.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
35.5%±98.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.8%±14.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Bath and Dover 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%
7.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1984Highest
4 yrs newer than U.S.
1965
15 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
9% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
21 min
19% below U.S.
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
Work from home
19.3%±6
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
11.7%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Kittery and Bath 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 — #17 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 01 - LKRSU Dover School District RSU 01 - LKRSU Kittery Public Schools
High school in town Morse High School Dover Senior High School None in town Robert W Traip Academy
Students per teacherat that high school
14.8Highest
12.7
—
9.9Lowest
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.