Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Plymouth 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
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Kennebunk | Plymouth | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820 |
6,601Lowest |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Dover 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% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$292,400±$22kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,108±$255Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Dover and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #47 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 21 | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Plymouth Regional 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 |
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.