Compare towns
Holderness vs Kittery vs Center Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
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 | Holderness | Kittery | Center Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917 |
10,473Highest |
955Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
60.4±4.8Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
39.5%±13.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Center Harbor and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$104,313±$16k 29% above U.S. |
| Holderness and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$463,800±$74k 39% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
— |
| Holderness and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,667Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±59.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Kittery and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Holderness 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.