Compare towns
Kittery vs Bedford vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k 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 | Kittery | Bedford | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
23,746Highest |
8,815Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Bedford and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 45% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Kittery 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 | #7 of 120 in NH | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Bedford School District | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Bedford High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
13.5 |
14.8Highest |
| 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.