Compare towns
Dresden vs Kittery vs Otisfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Otisfield has the most homeowners (92.3%).
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 | Dresden | Kittery | Otisfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
10,473Highest |
1,951 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9 23% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
56.8±4.8Highest 27% above ME |
| Otisfield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Dresden and Otisfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.7%±1.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Kittery and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kLowest about the ME average |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$84,271±$15k 13% above ME |
| Kittery and Otisfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$317,200±$35k 7% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502Lowest 5% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,300±$872 14% above ME |
| Kittery and Otisfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,500Lowest 18% below ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$2,652 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
77.3%±92.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Otisfield and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Otisfield 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 02 | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| 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 History | 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.