Compare towns
Fairlee vs Kittery vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Fairlee | Kittery | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
10,473Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Lowest 20% above U.S. |
57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Kittery and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$93,728±$14kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Fairlee 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District | Kittery Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.