Compare towns
Dover vs Naples vs Wiscasset
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Wiscasset has the most affordable homes ($325k 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 | Naples | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
3,985 |
3,874Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.8±6.8Highest 28% above U.S. |
48.8±6.3 25% above U.S. |
| Naples and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4 U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Naples 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% |
23.3%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wiscasset and Naples 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% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$78,188±$13k 3% below U.S. |
$71,118±$37kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Dover and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$340,100±$48k about the U.S. average |
$325,200±$26kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,941±$625Highest 37% above U.S. |
$1,518±$485Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Naples 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. |
$2,784Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$3,550 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.9%±40.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.6%±15.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Naples and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 45% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±11.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Naples and Wiscasset 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Lake Region High School | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.7 |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.