Compare towns
Kittery vs Kennebunk vs Epping vs Rye
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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 | Kennebunk | Epping | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
11,820Highest |
7,430 |
5,611Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3 40% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Rye and Kennebunk 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% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Rye 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% |
30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Kennebunk 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% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Rye and Kennebunk 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. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Rye and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Rye 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% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Rye 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 21 | Epping School District | Rye School District |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Kennebunk High School | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
11.6Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| 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.