Compare towns
Kittery vs Wells 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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells | Dover | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
11,713 |
33,364Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% 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% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells 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% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Dover and Kittery 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. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Wells 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. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$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. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 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% |
6.8% 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% |
90.1%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. |
1989Highest 9 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. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Dover School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Wells High School | Dover Senior High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.4 |
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.