Compare towns
Dover vs Francestown 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Francestown has the most homeowners (95.3%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Francestown | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,398Lowest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
51.2±4.5 32% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Francestown and Kennebunk 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% |
21.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$104,063±$16k 29% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Francestown 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. |
$408,200±$34kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,358±$256Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
| Dover and Kennebunk 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. |
$8,014 157% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±77Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Francestown 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% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
42 minHighest 59% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Francestown 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 | — | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Contoocook Valley School District | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| 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.