Compare towns
Bethel vs Kittery vs Naples
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most people working from home (27.7%).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Naples has the most homeowners (87.5%).
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 | Bethel | Kittery | Naples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,617Lowest |
10,473Highest |
3,985 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4Highest 12% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
49.8±6.8 11% above ME |
| Bethel and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Bethel and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bethel and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Kittery and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$78,188±$13k 5% above ME |
| Kittery and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $344,900±$37k 16% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$340,100±$48kLowest 15% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
| Naples and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835 7% below ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 5% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel and Naples 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 | #49 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #118 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 44/MSAD 44 | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 61/MSAD 61 |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Lake Region High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
9.9Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| 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.