Compare towns
Bath vs Exeter vs Kittery vs West Bath
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 most affordable homes ($311k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
West Bath has the most homeowners (82.3%).
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 | Bath | Exeter | Kittery | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
16,151Highest |
10,473 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Kittery 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% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
| Exeter and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Exeter 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. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Kittery 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Kittery Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Exeter High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.1 |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.