Compare towns
Kittery vs Keene vs South Eliot
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).
South Eliot has the most homeowners (79.9%).
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 | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
22,939Highest |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
55.5±8Highest 43% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery 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% |
15.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot and Kittery 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% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$99,299±$9kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| South Eliot 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±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$475,600±$52kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$2,155±$292Highest 53% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery 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. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,442Lowest 42% 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% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Keene 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% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Keene School District | — |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Keene High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.3Highest |
— |
| 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.