Compare towns
Cornish vs Topsham 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 oldest population (median age 54).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Topsham | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
9,706 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Topsham 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% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Dover and Cornish 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. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Dover and Topsham 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. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Topsham 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Lowest |
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.