Compare towns
South Eliot vs Dover vs Wells vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Eliot has the highest household income ($99k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | South Eliot | Dover | Wells | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,203Lowest |
33,364Highest |
11,713 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±8Highest 43% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,299±$9kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,600±$52k 43% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Wells and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,155±$292Highest 53% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,442 42% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | Wells High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
11.4 |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.