Compare towns

Newmarket vs Dover vs Wells vs Newfields

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).

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.

MeasureNewmarketDoverWellsNewfields
People
Population
9,463
33,364Highest
11,713
2,023Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+18%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.2±1.9
6% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
53.6±3.8Highest
38% above U.S.
44.1±1.8
13% above U.S.
Kids under 18
15.6%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
18%±3.4
U.S.: 22%
18.9%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
Newfields and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.1%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
31%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
13.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
49.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
68.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
7.5%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Newfields and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$100,845±$13k
25% above U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
$88,024±$11kLowest
9% above U.S.
$197,885±$15kHighest
145% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$455,000±$22k
37% above U.S.
$436,700±$20kLowest
31% above U.S.
$485,300±$23k
46% above U.S.
$646,400±$34kHighest
94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,671±$69
18% above U.S.
$1,607±$100
14% above U.S.
$1,350±$297Lowest
4% below U.S.
$1,875±$323Highest
33% above U.S.
Newfields and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,734
180% above U.S.
$8,249
164% above U.S.
$3,215Lowest
3% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.3%±8.3
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.1%±19.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.3%±40.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Dover and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
2.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
90.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1989
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1991Highest
11 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
7% above U.S.
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
28 min
4% above U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
17.3%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
17.8%±4.2
U.S.: 15.1%
25.5%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #39 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH #22 of 133 in ME —
School district Newmarket School District Dover School District Wells-Ogunquit CSD Newfields School District
High school in town Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School Dover Senior High School Wells High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
9.9Lowest
12.7Highest
11.4
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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.