Compare towns
Canterbury vs Kittery vs Thornton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canterbury has the highest household income ($129k).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Canterbury | Kittery | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,353Lowest |
10,473Highest |
2,799 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±3.8 25% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Lowest 20% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Thornton and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Canterbury and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canterbury and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,333±$37kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$90,022±$17kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $443,700±$21k 33% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$351,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,136±$233Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,270±$428Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Canterbury and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,421Highest 138% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,032 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 71.7%±48.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±24.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canterbury and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thornton 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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Shaker Regional School District | Kittery Public Schools | Thornton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.