Compare towns
Kittery vs Freeport vs Ogunquit vs Ellsworth
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Freeport has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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.
| Measure | Kittery | Freeport | Ogunquit | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
8,802 |
1,379Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport 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% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% ME: 36.2% |
59.6% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Freeport 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 |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Freeport 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 |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
— | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Kittery and Freeport 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 |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Freeport 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% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 05 | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Freeport High School | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.2 |
— | 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.