Compare towns
Eliot vs Amesbury vs Kittery vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Eliot | Amesbury | Kittery | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
17,403 |
10,473 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #151 of 282 in MA | #17 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Amesbury | Kittery Public Schools | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Amesbury High | Robert W Traip Academy | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
9.9Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.