Compare towns
Wellfleet vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
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 | Wellfleet | Dover |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 4,404Highest |
2,308Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±4.1Highest 46% above MA |
47.5±4Lowest 19% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 35.3%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $117,938±$27kLowest 13% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,300±$70kLowest 52% above MA |
$1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,563±$597 11% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,862Lowest 19% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.6%±23.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dover and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minLowest 19% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.7%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
37.4%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wellfleet | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.