Compare towns
Fairlee vs Kittery vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
10,473Highest |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Lowest 20% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6 43% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Kittery and Fairlee 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%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$93,728±$14kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
| Kittery and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,074±$80Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,364 72% 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% |
72.5%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend 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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Kittery Public Schools | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Highest |
8.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.