Compare towns
Dover vs Orford 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).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Orford | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,295Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Wells and Orford 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% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Dover 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% |
25.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Orford 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% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$92,571±$24k 15% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Dover and Orford 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. |
$271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,263±$686Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Dover and Wells 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. |
$5,836 87% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest 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% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Rivendell Academy | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.5Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.