Compare towns

Dover vs Kittery vs Brookline

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).
Kittery has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).

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.

MeasureDoverKitteryBrookline
People
Population
33,364Highest
10,473
5,736Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+13%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
46.8±2.3Highest
20% above U.S.
41.2±1.5
6% above U.S.
Kids under 18
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
14.7%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
26.7%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
26.9%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
46%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
57.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Brookline and Dover 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.
$93,728±$14kLowest
16% above U.S.
$171,046±$4kHighest
112% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$436,700±$20kLowest
31% above U.S.
$468,500±$31k
41% above U.S.
$544,400±$38kHighest
64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,607±$100Lowest
14% above U.S.
$1,716±$224
21% above U.S.
$2,500±$1kHighest
77% above U.S.
Brookline and Kittery 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.
$4,518Lowest
45% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48.6%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.8%±14.9
U.S.: 51.1%
23.8%±43.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Dover and Kittery 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%
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
0.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1965Lowest
15 yrs older than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
14% below U.S.
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
Work from home
18.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±7.2
U.S.: 15.1%
24.7%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookline 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 #17 of 133 in ME #23 of 120 in NH
School district Dover School District Kittery Public Schools Brookline School District
High school in town Dover Senior High School Robert W Traip Academy None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7Highest
9.9Lowest
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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.