Compare towns
Kittery vs Hanover vs Ellsworth
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 oldest population (median age 46.8).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
11,685Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Kittery 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% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Ellsworth 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% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Ellsworth 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% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Kittery 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Hanover High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
10.7 |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.