Compare towns
Dover vs Gray vs Kittery 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Gray | Kittery | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,429 |
10,473 |
5,611Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Kittery 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% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest 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 | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Rye and Gray 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. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Rye and Kittery 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and Kittery 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Kittery Public Schools | Rye School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.5 |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.