Compare towns
Kittery vs Topsham vs Dover 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
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Kittery | Topsham | Dover | York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
9,706Lowest |
33,364Highest |
13,986 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.5±5.2Highest 27% above U.S. |
| York 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% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| York and Topsham 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% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| York 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$121,250±$25kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| York 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. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,490±$336 5% above 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. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,658 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±10.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| York 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| York 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Dover School District | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Mt Ararat High School | Dover Senior High School | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
12.2 |
12.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.