Compare towns
Dover vs Kennebunk vs Wells vs Keene
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).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Kennebunk | Wells | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,221Lowest |
11,713 |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
54.3±7.2Highest 40% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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% |
30.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$95,169±$21kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Kennebunk 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. |
$452,800±$17k 36% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,466±$261 4% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| 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. |
$4,771 53% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Keene 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% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | Wells High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
12.3 |
| 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.