Compare towns
Eliot vs Kittery vs Plainville
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 the most homeowners (79.8%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Eliot | Kittery | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
10,473Highest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% 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% |
18.3%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainville and Eliot 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% |
22.2%±3.8Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Plainville 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. |
$104,106±$13kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Plainville 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. |
$5,329Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Plainville 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 | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Kittery Public Schools | Plainville |
| 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 |
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.