Compare towns
Eliot vs Bow 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 oldest population (median age 50.8).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Bow | Kittery | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
8,335 |
10,473 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% 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% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 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% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Bow 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. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Bow 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. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 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. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer 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. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Bow School District | Kittery Public Schools | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
12.7 |
| 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.