Compare towns
Dedham vs Ellsworth vs Kittery vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Dedham | Ellsworth | Kittery | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,657 |
10,473Highest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Dedham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Kittery and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 30% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
67.2% ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Surry 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.