Compare towns
Eliot vs Kennebunk vs Windham 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%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
11,820 |
16,038 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 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% |
62.7%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% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Windham 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. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% 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. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Windham 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%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% |
93.9%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. |
1996Highest 16 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 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above 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% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 | Windham School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | Windham High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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.