Compare towns
Kittery vs Brattleboro vs Topsham
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 most expensive homes ($469k median).
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Brattleboro | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
12,122Highest |
9,706Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
44.7±4Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Brattleboro 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% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Topsham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Topsham 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. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Brattleboro 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Brattleboro Union High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
9.0Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.