Compare towns
Exeter vs Kittery vs Sandwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most kids (17% under 18).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Sandwich has the most people working from home (36.1%).
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 | Sandwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
10,473 |
1,757Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
63.6±2.8Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
46.6%±8.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$140,694±$22kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Sandwich and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$437,700±$79kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,679±$1kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,494Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±41.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.1%±16.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandwich and Kittery 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Kittery Public Schools | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.