Compare towns
Kensington vs Plainfield vs Kittery
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 most expensive homes ($658k median).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Plainfield | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,009Lowest |
2,522 |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±5.9 11% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Kensington 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,813±$627Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Kensington and Kittery 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. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Kittery and Plainfield 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Kensington 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kensington School District | Plainfield School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.