Compare towns
Bristol vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most homeowners (88.6%).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Bristol | Kittery |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,917Lowest |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Kittery and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
46%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$93,728±$14kLowest 25% above ME |
| Bristol and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Kittery and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Kittery and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 9 yrs older than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
20 minHighest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.