Compare towns
Kittery vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Bristol has the most homeowners (88.6%).
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 | Bristol |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
2,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Kittery and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kLowest 25% above ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
| Bristol and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
| Kittery and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Kittery and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1968Highest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 19% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Bristol Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.