Compare towns
Topsham vs Kittery vs Dover vs Lisbon
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 homeowners (78.9%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
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 | Kittery | Dover | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706Lowest |
10,473 |
33,364Highest |
9,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
38.4±2.9 about the U.S. average |
| 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%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lisbon and Topsham 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest 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±$10k 13% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$77,819±$9kLowest 4% below 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±$20k 8% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$258,300±$26kLowest 22% below 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±$642 4% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$979±$286Lowest 31% below 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 | $4,259 37% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,324Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±9.6 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Kittery Public Schools | Dover School District | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Dover Senior High School | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
9.9Lowest |
12.7 |
15.8Highest |
| 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.