Compare towns
Bath vs Kittery vs Salem
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).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
10,473 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salem 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem 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. |
$93,728±$14kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Salem 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. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salem 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. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% 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% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Kittery Public Schools | Salem |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.9 |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.