Compare towns
Hope vs Kittery vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Surry has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Hope | Kittery | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
10,473Highest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Kittery and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Kittery and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 27% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Hope 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 | Hope Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.