Compare towns
Dover vs North Berwick vs Topsham
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).
North Berwick has the most homeowners (88.7%).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | North Berwick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
5,129Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.6±4.7 7% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| North Berwick and Topsham 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% |
20.9%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and North Berwick 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% |
29%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Topsham 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. |
$101,875±$16kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| North Berwick and Dover 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. |
$428,500±$33k 29% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Dover and North Berwick 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. |
$1,105±$116Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Dover and Topsham 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. |
$3,735Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.2%±28.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Berwick 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Topsham 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Noble High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.0Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.