Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gray vs Hooksett 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
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Ellsworth | Gray | Hooksett | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
8,429Lowest |
15,057Highest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Hooksett 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hooksett School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.5 |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.