Compare towns
Concord vs Kennebunk vs Wells vs Dover
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).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
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 | Concord | Kennebunk | Wells | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
11,820 |
11,713Lowest |
33,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 5% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below 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% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest 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% |
30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest 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% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest 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. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% 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. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% 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 |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227 132% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | RSU 21 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Kennebunk High School | Wells High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
11.6 |
11.4Lowest |
12.7 |
| 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.