Compare towns
Dover vs Ellsworth vs Rye
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).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
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 | Ellsworth | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,657 |
5,611Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Rye 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% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Rye and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Rye 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. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Ellsworth Public Schools | Rye School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.7 |
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| 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.