Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Dover vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Alfred has the oldest population (median age 44.9).
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 | Bowdoin | Dover | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
33,364Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 14% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.9±5.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Alfred and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bowdoin and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$82,321±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Dover and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$342,300±$38k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,035±$432Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,543 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
82.2%±29.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alfred and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Bowdoin 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Dover School District | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.