Compare towns
Kittery vs Kennebunk vs Ellsworth vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Kennebunk | Ellsworth | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
11,820Highest |
8,657 |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk 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% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Ellsworth 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 25% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Kittery and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 49% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Kittery 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 21 | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Kennebunk High School | Ellsworth High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.6 |
12.7Highest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.