Compare towns
Kittery vs Gorham vs South 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%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
South Eliot has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Gorham | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
18,300Highest |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
| South 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and South Eliot 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| South 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% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kLowest 25% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$99,299±$9k 33% above ME |
| Gorham and South Eliot 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 |
$460,900±$26kLowest 55% above ME |
$475,600±$52kHighest 60% above ME |
| South 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 |
$1,680±$355Lowest 47% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
| South 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,442Lowest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.