Compare towns

Dunbarton vs Eliot vs Epping 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

Dunbarton has the highest household income ($124k).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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.

MeasureDunbartonEliotEppingKittery
People
Population
3,097Lowest
7,146
7,430
10,473Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+11.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
48±3.7
23% above U.S.
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
45.1±3.5Lowest
16% above U.S.
46.8±2.3
20% above U.S.
Eliot and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.8%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
18.7%±4.8
U.S.: 22%
14.7%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Dunbarton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.4%±4.3Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
22.6%±5.2
U.S.: 17.2%
26.9%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
39.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
37%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.8%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
Epping and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$124,348±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$101,522±$10k
26% above U.S.
$104,220±$7k
29% above U.S.
$93,728±$14kLowest
16% above U.S.
Dunbarton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$484,100±$33k
46% above U.S.
$498,900±$62kHighest
50% above U.S.
$436,900±$35kLowest
31% above U.S.
$468,500±$31k
41% above U.S.
Eliot and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,166±$70Lowest
17% below U.S.
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above U.S.
$1,742±$576
23% above U.S.
$1,716±$224
21% above U.S.
Eliot and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,233Highest
164% above U.S.
$4,549
46% above U.S.
$6,936
122% above U.S.
$4,518Lowest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.7%±60.7
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1
U.S.: 51.1%
67.8%±25.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Epping and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
86.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1990Highest
10 yrs newer than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1989
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1965Lowest
15 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
27% above U.S.
23 min
15% below U.S.
32 min
22% above U.S.
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
Work from home
12.6%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
24%±6.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±7.2
U.S.: 15.1%
Epping 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 #33 of 120 in NH #19 of 133 in ME #77 of 120 in NH #17 of 133 in ME
School district Dunbarton School District RSU 35/MSAD 35 Epping School District Kittery Public Schools
High school in town None in town None in town Epping High School Robert W Traip Academy
Students per teacherat that high school — —
9.3Lowest
9.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.