Compare towns
Kittery vs Keene 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 most expensive homes ($469k median).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Keene | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
22,939Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest 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% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 45% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Keene School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Keene High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.3 |
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.