Compare towns
Eliot vs Hanover vs Dover 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
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Dover | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
8,479 |
33,364Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 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+ | 27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Hanover and Eliot 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Dover School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.