Compare towns
Kittery vs Kennebunk vs Dover vs Ellsworth
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Kittery | Kennebunk | Dover | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
11,820 |
33,364Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Kennebunk 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% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk 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% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Ellsworth 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. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below 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 | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Dover 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. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Kittery 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 21 | Dover School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Kennebunk High School | Dover Senior High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.6 |
12.7Highest |
12.7Highest |
| 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.