Compare towns
Cornish vs Kennebunk 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
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Cornish | Kennebunk | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
11,820 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% 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 | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Dover and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | RSU 21 | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.