Compare towns
Exeter vs Kittery vs Lee vs Stetson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lee has the most homeowners (97%).
Stetson has the youngest population (median age 42.2).
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 | Exeter | Kittery | Lee | Stetson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
10,473Highest |
925Lowest |
1,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
42.2±5.1Lowest 6% below ME |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15% ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
19.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$76,023±$28k about the ME average |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
— | $800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602 47% below ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,962 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42 ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Lee 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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | — |
| High school 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 | 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.