Compare towns
Kittery vs Hooksett vs Ellsworth vs Gray
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Hooksett | Ellsworth | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
15,057Highest |
8,657 |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Gray 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% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Ellsworth 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% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Gray 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. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Kittery and Hooksett 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. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Hooksett 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Hooksett School District | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.