Compare towns
Kittery vs Brunswick vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
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 | Brunswick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
17,652Highest |
9,706Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| 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 58% above ME |
$363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Kittery and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$4,477 47% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick 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 ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Brunswick 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.