Compare towns
Bath vs Keene vs Kittery vs York
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).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
York has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Keene | Kittery | York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
22,939Highest |
10,473 |
13,986 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
49.5±5.2Highest 27% above U.S. |
| York 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| York 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% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| York 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% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$121,250±$25kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| York 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. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,490±$336 5% above U.S. |
| Kittery and York 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. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,658 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±10.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| York 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% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| York and Kittery 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Keene School District | Kittery Public Schools | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Keene High School | Robert W Traip Academy | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.3 |
9.9 |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.