Compare towns
Dover vs Exeter vs Kennebunk vs Rollinsford
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Rollinsford has the most affordable homes ($398k 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 | Exeter | Kennebunk | Rollinsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,151 |
11,820 |
2,626Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
38.8±5.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$89,500±$26kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$398,100±$33kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Exeter 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. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,809±$394 28% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Rollinsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$6,851 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±26.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Rollinsford 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME | #94 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 21 | Rollinsford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1 |
11.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.