Compare towns

Dover vs Wells vs Rollinsford

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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).

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.

MeasureDoverWellsRollinsford
People
Population
33,364Highest
11,713
2,626Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+18%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
53.6±3.8Highest
38% above U.S.
38.8±5.5
about the U.S. average
Kids under 18
16.9%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±4.8
U.S.: 22%
Wells and Rollinsford 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%
31%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.8%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
41.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
2.8%±1.5Lowest
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.
$88,024±$11kLowest
9% above U.S.
$89,500±$26k
11% above U.S.
Dover and Rollinsford 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.
$485,300±$23kHighest
46% above U.S.
$398,100±$33kLowest
20% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,350±$297Lowest
4% below U.S.
$1,809±$394Highest
28% above U.S.
Rollinsford 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.
$3,215Lowest
3% above U.S.
$6,851
120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48.6%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.1%±19.6
U.S.: 51.1%
40%±26.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Dover and Wells 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%
6.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
90.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
78.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1966Lowest
14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
28 minHighest
4% above U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
17.8%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
25.9%±8.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Rollinsford 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 #94 of 120 in NH
School district Dover School District Wells-Ogunquit CSD Rollinsford School District
High school in town Dover Senior High School Wells High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7Highest
11.4Lowest
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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.