Compare towns
Dover vs Saco vs West Bath
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%).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
20,819 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Saco 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% 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% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Dover 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±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Dover and West Bath 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. |
$1,112±$327Lowest 21% 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. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest 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. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Dover School District | Saco Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.