Compare towns
North Berwick vs Dover vs Sanford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Berwick has the most homeowners (88.7%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | North Berwick | Dover | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,129Lowest |
33,364Highest |
22,247 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+125.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7 7% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.1±2.8Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Sanford and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| North Berwick and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Berwick and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,875±$16kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$72,524±$7kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| North Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,500±$33k 29% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$280,200±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Dover and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,152±$72 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,735 20% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,708Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and North Berwick 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Dover School District | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Noble High School | Dover Senior High School | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
12.7 |
17.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.