Compare towns
Kittery vs Dalton 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 people working from home (22.7%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Dalton | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
6,256Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S. |
44.7±4Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Dalton 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% |
20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dalton and Kittery 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% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±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. |
$79,438±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$295,700±$26kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$872±$70Lowest 38% 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 | $4,518Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,276 37% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dalton 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% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Topsham 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Central Berkshire | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Wahconah Regional High | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
10.9 |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.