Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Eliot vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethlehem has the most affordable homes ($288k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
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 | Bethlehem | Eliot | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537Lowest |
7,146 |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,300±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418Highest 74% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem and Kittery 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
— | 9.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.