Compare towns
Kittery vs Durham vs Ellsworth
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%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
15,080Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Kittery 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Ellsworth 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Durham 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±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Durham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Durham 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Ellsworth 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Oyster River Coop School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Oyster River High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.3 |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.