Compare towns
Dover vs Ogunquit vs Cornish vs Portsmouth
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 kids (16.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Cornish has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Portsmouth has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Ogunquit | Cornish | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,379 |
1,024Lowest |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.2±13.3 about the U.S. average |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Ogunquit 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. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$68,686±$2kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Portsmouth 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
— | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
— | $1,135±$141Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$1,925Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31%±22.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | — | — | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | — | — | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | — | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | — | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.