Compare towns
Amesbury vs South Berwick 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
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 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 | Amesbury | South Berwick | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
7,670Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and South Berwick 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #58 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Amesbury | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Marshwood High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
13.0Highest |
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.