Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Dover vs Freeport vs Eliot
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).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Freeport | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820 |
33,364Highest |
8,802 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above 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 | 17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Freeport 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% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 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+ | 51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest 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% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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. |
$508,400±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Freeport and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% 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% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Eliot 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Dover School District | RSU 05 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Dover Senior High School | Freeport High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
12.7Highest |
12.2 |
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| 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.