Compare towns

Dover vs Eliot vs Kennebunk

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 most renters (47.3% rent).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).

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.

MeasureDoverEliotKennebunk
People
Population
33,364Highest
7,146
6,221Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
50.8±5.9
31% above U.S.
54.3±7.2Highest
40% above U.S.
Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.1%±4.2Highest
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+
16.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2
U.S.: 17.2%
30.9%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.3%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,829±$7kLowest
17% above U.S.
$101,522±$10kHighest
26% above U.S.
$95,169±$21k
18% above U.S.
Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$436,700±$20kLowest
31% above U.S.
$498,900±$62kHighest
50% above U.S.
$452,800±$17k
36% above U.S.
Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above U.S.
$1,466±$261Lowest
4% above U.S.
Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
$4,771
53% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
40.3%±13.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1980Highest
same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minHighest
14% below U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
23 minHighest
14% below U.S.
Work from home
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
36.6%±10.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #64 of 120 in NH #19 of 133 in ME #9 of 133 in ME
School district Dover School District RSU 35/MSAD 35 —
High school in town Dover Senior High School None in town —
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7
— —
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.