Compare towns
Bath vs Kittery vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% 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 | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
10,473Highest |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| 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% ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 7% below ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
| South Berwick 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±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
| Kittery and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| South Berwick and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 27% above ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick 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 ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
67.2% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Bath 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 | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.