Compare towns
Dover vs Madbury vs Wells
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).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Madbury | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,203Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.7±2.1 3% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Wells 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. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Wells and Madbury 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. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Dover and Madbury 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Wells 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% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Wells 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.