Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Dover vs Exeter vs York
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
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 | Kennebunk | Dover | Exeter | York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820Lowest |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
13,986 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
49.5±5.2 27% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| York and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$121,250±$25kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| York and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,490±$336 5% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 60% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,658Lowest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±10.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and York 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.7Highest |
12.1 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.