Compare towns

Dover vs Kittery vs Lisbon

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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k 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.

MeasureDoverKitteryLisbon
People
Population
33,364Highest
10,473
9,750Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
46.8±2.3Highest
20% above U.S.
38.4±2.9
about the U.S. average
Kids under 18
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
14.7%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.2%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Lisbon 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%
26.9%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.2%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
46%
U.S.: 35.7%
23.4%Lowest
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%
4.3%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Dover and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,829±$7kHighest
17% above U.S.
$93,728±$14k
16% above U.S.
$77,819±$9kLowest
4% below U.S.
Dover and Kittery 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.
$468,500±$31kHighest
41% above U.S.
$258,300±$26kLowest
22% below U.S.
Kittery and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,716±$224Highest
21% above U.S.
$979±$286Lowest
31% below U.S.
Kittery and Dover 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.
$4,518
45% above U.S.
$3,324Lowest
7% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48.6%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.4%±14.2
U.S.: 51.1%
Dover and Lisbon 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%
5.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
74.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1965Lowest
15 yrs older than U.S.
1973
7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
14% below 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%
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.1%±9.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Kittery and Dover 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 #60 of 133 in ME
School district Dover School District Kittery Public Schools Lisbon Public Schools
High school in town Dover Senior High School Robert W Traip Academy Lisbon High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7
9.9Lowest
15.8Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.