Compare towns
Eliot vs Kittery vs Lee vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
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 | Eliot | Kittery | Lee | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
10,473Highest |
4,576Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Lowest 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+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
— | $2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Stratham 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #3 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Kittery Public Schools | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.