What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).

Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dover	Scarborough
People
Population	33,364Highest	23,215Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S.	48.8±2.7Highest 25% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%	16.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Dover and Scarborough 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%	24.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.7%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dover and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S.	$133,558±$21kHighest 65% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S.	$551,900±$39kHighest 66% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S.	$1,956±$178Highest 38% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,249Highest 164% above U.S.	$5,978Lowest 92% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.9%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Scarborough 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%	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	77.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 14% below U.S.	19 minLowest 27% below U.S.
Work from home	18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Scarborough 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	#35 of 133 in ME
School district	Dover School District	Scarborough Public Schools
High school in town	Dover Senior High School	Scarborough High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	11.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.