Compare towns
Eliot vs Upton vs Kennebunk vs Kittery
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%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
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 | Upton | Kennebunk | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
8,189 |
11,820Highest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Kennebunk 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Kennebunk 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Upton and Eliot 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. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224 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 | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #9 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 21 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Kennebunk High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
11.6Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 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.