Compare towns
Dover vs Gray vs Needham vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Needham has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Dover | Gray | Needham | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,930 |
8,429 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13k 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43k 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
— |
| Dover and Needham 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Dover 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Needham | — |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.5Highest |
11.9 |
— |
| 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.