Compare towns

Kittery vs Exeter vs Gray vs Bath

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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).

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.

MeasureKitteryExeterGrayBath
People
Population
10,473
16,151Highest
8,429Lowest
8,815
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+12.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
46.8±2.3Highest
20% above U.S.
45.8±2.3
18% above U.S.
43.4±4.5Lowest
12% above U.S.
45.4±3
17% above U.S.
Kittery and Exeter 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%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
19%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.5%±3.7
U.S.: 22%
Gray and Exeter 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%
24.4%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
19.3%±4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Kittery and Bath 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%
59.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
42.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.1%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
5.5%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
Exeter and Bath 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.
$110,346±$13kHighest
37% above U.S.
$95,236±$8k
18% above U.S.
$69,390±$12kLowest
14% below U.S.
Exeter and Gray 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.
$456,600±$21k
37% above U.S.
$363,700±$20k
9% above U.S.
$310,900±$30kLowest
7% below U.S.
Kittery and Exeter 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.
$1,856±$223Highest
31% above U.S.
$1,371±$89
about the U.S. average
$1,044±$116Lowest
26% below U.S.
Exeter 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.
$8,814Highest
183% above U.S.
$3,683Lowest
18% above U.S.
$3,847
23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
59%±11.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
56.4%±24
U.S.: 51.1%
51.3%±15.2
U.S.: 51.1%
Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
69.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
82.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1965
15 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1983Highest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
25 min
6% below U.S.
29 minHighest
8% above U.S.
24 min
9% below U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.9%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.3%±6
U.S.: 15.1%
Kittery and Exeter 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 #22 of 120 in NH #10 of 133 in ME #31 of 133 in ME
School district Kittery Public Schools Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences RSU 01 - LKRSU
High school in town Robert W Traip Academy Exeter High School Gray-New Gloucester High School Morse High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.9Lowest
12.1
12.5
14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 59 photos → 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.