Compare towns
Dover vs Kittery vs Rochester
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Kittery has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Kittery | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466 |
10,473Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Lowest 20% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Kittery and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$93,728±$14kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$4,518Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester 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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Kittery Public Schools | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.