Compare towns
Berwick vs Kittery vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Berwick | Kittery | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175Lowest |
10,473Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| Berwick and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430 27% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Kittery and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436 46% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.