Compare towns
Bath vs Hampton vs Kittery vs South Eliot
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).
Hampton has the most expensive homes ($550k median).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
South Eliot has the most homeowners (79.9%).
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 | Hampton | Kittery | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
16,426Highest |
10,473 |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.5±8 43% above U.S. |
| Hampton and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bath and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot and Hampton 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% |
42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Kittery 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. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$99,299±$9kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Hampton 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. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$475,600±$52k 43% above U.S. |
| Hampton and South Eliot 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. |
$1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,155±$292Highest 53% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,813Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,442 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Hampton 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Kittery Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Winnacunnet High School | Robert W Traip Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.1 |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.


