Compare towns
Dover vs Henniker 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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Henniker | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,197Lowest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
31.1±6.1Lowest 20% below U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Highest 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%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
27%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$95,206±$21k 18% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Henniker 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. |
$356,700±$49kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,081±$164Lowest 23% 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 | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,877Highest 185% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Henniker 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Henniker 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.