Compare towns
Dover vs Kittery vs Rye 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).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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 | Kittery | Rye | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,473 |
5,611Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest 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. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Rye and Eliot 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% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Rye 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%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% |
2.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest 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±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Rye 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. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Rye 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. |
$7,519 141% 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% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Dover 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% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%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. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr 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. |
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% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Kittery Public Schools | Rye School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.