Compare towns
Eliot vs Kennebunk vs North Hampton 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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
North Hampton has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Kennebunk | North Hampton | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
11,820 |
4,543Lowest |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
50.5±3.3 30% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| North Hampton and Kennebunk 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% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$146,458±$29kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$670,400±$61kHighest 102% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,805±$106 28% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
| Eliot and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$8,529Highest 173% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21Lowest 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and North Hampton 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #12 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 | North Hampton School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
— | 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.