Compare towns
Kittery vs Hooksett vs Saco 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 the highest household income ($118k).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k 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 | Hooksett | Saco | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
15,057 |
20,819Highest |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% 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. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Saco 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% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Hooksett 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% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Gray 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% 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% |
5.2%±1.2 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. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above 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. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% 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. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 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% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% 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. |
1982 2 yrs newer than 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 |
24 min 10% 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% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Saco 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Hooksett School District | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | — | 12.5Highest |
| 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.