Compare towns
Bath vs Kittery vs Rye vs Stratham
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).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Stratham has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
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 | Kittery | Rye | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
10,473Highest |
5,611Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Rye 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% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 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. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Rye 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. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and Stratham 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #2 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Kittery Public Schools | Rye School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
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| 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.