Compare towns
Dover vs North Berwick vs Wells 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).
North Berwick has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k 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 | Wells | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
5,129Lowest |
11,713 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.6±4.7 7% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Wells 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% |
21.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| North Berwick and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and North Berwick 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. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| North Berwick 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±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$428,500±$33kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Wells 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. |
$1,105±$116Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$3,735 20% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% 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% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Berwick and Eliot 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Noble High School | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.0 |
11.4Lowest |
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| 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.