Compare towns
Kittery vs Canterbury 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Canterbury has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Canterbury | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
2,353Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
48.6±3.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.7±4Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Kittery 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% |
17.4%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Canterbury 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% |
22.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canterbury and Topsham 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. |
$129,333±$37kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Canterbury 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 41% above U.S. |
$443,700±$21k 33% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,136±$233Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Canterbury 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. |
$7,421Highest 138% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
71.7%±48.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canterbury and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Canterbury 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Shaker Regional School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | 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 |
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.