Compare towns
Kittery vs Dover vs Topsham 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
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Kittery | Dover | Topsham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
33,364Highest |
9,706 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 45% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest 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 | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Dover 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #66 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Dover School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Dover Senior High School | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
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.