Compare towns
Dover vs Saco vs Gray 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).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 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 | Saco | Gray | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
20,819 |
8,429 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Saco 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%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Gray 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Gray 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. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Gray 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. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% 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% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.