Compare towns
Dover vs Saco vs Brewer
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).
Saco has the most homeowners (72.8%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k 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 | Saco | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
20,819 |
9,652Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
| Saco and Brewer 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% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer 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% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Dover 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. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Saco and Dover 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Saco Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| 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.