Compare towns

Brookline vs Dover vs Ogunquit vs Townsend

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).

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.

MeasureBrooklineDoverOgunquitTownsend
People
Population
5,736
33,364Highest
1,379Lowest
9,100
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+76.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.2±1.5
6% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
62.8±4.8Highest
61% above U.S.
40.9±3.3
5% above U.S.
Kids under 18
26.7%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
5.7%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21%±3.2
U.S.: 22%
Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
11.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
43.6%±10.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.1%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
57.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
63.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
35.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.3%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Brookline and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$171,046±$4kHighest
112% above U.S.
$94,829±$7kLowest
17% above U.S.
$114,259±$56k
42% above U.S.
$121,528±$23k
51% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$544,400±$38k
64% above U.S.
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
$875,700±$79kHighest
163% above U.S.
$433,200±$22kLowest
30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,500±$1kHighest
77% above U.S.
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
—
$1,469±$313Lowest
4% above U.S.
Brookline and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$8,249
164% above U.S.
$4,473Lowest
43% above U.S.
$6,031
93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
23.8%±43.5
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±61.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Townsend and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
0.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
82%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1978
2 yrs older than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 min
26% above U.S.
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
Work from home
24.7%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
43.3%±12.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #23 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH — #136 of 282 in MA
School district Brookline School District Dover School District — North Middlesex
High school in town None in town Dover Senior High School — North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.7Lowest
—
13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.