Compare towns

Concord vs Dover vs Kennebunk vs Wells

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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.

MeasureConcordDoverKennebunkWells
People
Population
44,375Highest
33,364
11,820
11,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+18%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
40.7±1.3
5% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
54.6±3.3Highest
40% above U.S.
53.6±3.8
38% above U.S.
Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17.2%±1.3
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±3
U.S.: 22%
18%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.7%±1.5
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
30%±4
U.S.: 17.2%
31%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
51.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$84,902±$5kLowest
5% above U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
$107,804±$8kHighest
34% above U.S.
$88,024±$11k
9% above U.S.
Kennebunk and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$350,900±$13kLowest
5% above U.S.
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
$487,700±$21kHighest
47% above U.S.
$485,300±$23k
46% above U.S.
Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,441±$43
about the U.S. average
$1,607±$100Highest
14% above U.S.
$1,425±$290
about the U.S. average
$1,350±$297Lowest
4% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,227
132% above U.S.
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
$4,999
60% above U.S.
$3,215Lowest
3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.1%±5.2
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
37.1%±10.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.1%±19.6
U.S.: 51.1%
Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
56.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
90.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969Lowest
11 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
13% below U.S.
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
28 minHighest
4% above U.S.
Work from home
14.1%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
32.5%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.8%±4.2
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #89 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #9 of 133 in ME #22 of 133 in ME
School district Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District Dover School District RSU 21 Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town Concord High School Dover Senior High School Kennebunk High School Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school
13.0Highest
12.7
11.6
11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.