Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Kittery vs Northbridge vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Northbridge has the youngest population (median age 43.8).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Kennebunk | Kittery | Northbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820 |
10,473 |
16,458Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 60% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Upton 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 21 | Kittery Public Schools | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
9.9Lowest |
10.8 |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.