Compare towns
Kittery vs Keene 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%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Keene | Saco | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
22,939Highest |
20,819 |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below 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%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Saco 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%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% 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% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Gray and Kittery 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±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 45% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% 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% |
44.5%±6.1 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #38 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Keene School District | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Keene High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.3 |
— | 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.