Compare towns
Rye vs Dover vs Kittery vs Hollis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Hollis has the highest household income ($169k).
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 | Rye | Dover | Kittery | Hollis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,611Lowest |
33,364Highest |
10,473 |
8,603 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
49.4±5 27% above U.S. |
| Rye and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hollis and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$168,883±$22kHighest 109% above U.S. |
| Hollis and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$675,900±$48k 103% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,598±$302Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rye and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,519 141% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±19.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
29%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and Hollis 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #8 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rye School District | Dover School District | Kittery Public Schools | Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Hollis-Brookline High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
11.8 |
| 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.