Compare towns
Kittery vs Ellsworth vs Topsham vs Eliot
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%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Ellsworth | Topsham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
8,657 |
9,706 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
| 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% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Ellsworth 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% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest 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% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth 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 25% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% 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 |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% 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 |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% 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 |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 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% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 4% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Eliot 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Ellsworth High School | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.7Highest |
12.2 |
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| 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.