Compare towns
Eliot vs Kittery vs Sunapee
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k 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 | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
10,473Highest |
3,416Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Lowest 20% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Eliot 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Sunapee 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±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,713±$451Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Kittery 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Eliot 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 | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Kittery Public Schools | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.


