Compare towns
Topsham vs Dover 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
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Topsham | Dover | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Lowest |
33,364Highest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above 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 | $360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above 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 | $4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Topsham 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Dover School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Dover Senior High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.