Compare towns
Barnstead vs Kittery vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstead has the most homeowners (93.6%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Barnstead | Kittery | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
10,473 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Barnstead and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Barnstead and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75 about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Highest 92% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Saco 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 | #111 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Kittery Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.