Compare towns
Bath vs Durham vs Brewer 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
Bath has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Bath | Durham | Brewer | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
10,681Highest |
9,652 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Durham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Durham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #9 of 120 in NH | #32 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Brewer Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | Brewer High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 14.0 |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.