Compare towns
Exeter vs Kittery vs Saco
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 the most people working from home (22.7%).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093Lowest |
10,473 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
| Exeter and Kittery 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% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Kittery 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% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco 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±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Kittery and Saco 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 |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Kittery and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Saco 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 | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Kittery Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| 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 |
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.