Compare towns
Kensington vs Kittery vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Kensington | Kittery | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,009Lowest |
10,473 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±5.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Kensington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,083±$18kHighest 104% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,813±$627 28% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,637Highest 209% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kensington School District | Kittery Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.