Compare towns
Dover vs Kittery vs Epping vs Eliot
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Kittery | Epping | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,473 |
7,430 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery 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% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Dover 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% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Epping 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. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Epping and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Epping 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. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Eliot 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Kittery Public Schools | Epping School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.9 |
9.3Lowest |
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| 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.