Compare towns
Durham vs Kittery vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Kittery | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
10,473 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Durham and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Durham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and South Berwick 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | — | Robert W Traip Academy | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| 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.