Compare towns
Kittery vs Eliot vs Ellsworth vs Saco
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Eliot | Ellsworth | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
7,146Lowest |
8,657 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Eliot 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 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Saco 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 25% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Eliot 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 58% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 49% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Saco 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Ellsworth Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.