Compare towns
Eliot vs Surry vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
Surry has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Surry | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
1,836Lowest |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
| Surry and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry 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% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Kittery and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
| 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 71% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
| 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 50% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 9% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Surry Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.