Compare towns
Dover vs Seabrook Beach 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 youngest population (median age 36.9).
Seabrook Beach has the most people working from home (39.5%).
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 | Seabrook Beach | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,001Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
62±3.8Highest 59% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.2%±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% |
42.1%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Seabrook Beach and Wells 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% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Wells 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. |
$93,571±$43k 16% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Dover and Seabrook Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$920,900±$75kHighest 177% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,725±$575Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Seabrook Beach and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
90.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Seabrook Beach 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% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
39.5%±20Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Seabrook Beach 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.