Compare towns
Kittery vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs 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 renters (32.8% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Lancaster | Sutton | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
8,606 |
9,452 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| 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%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Sutton 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. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster 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. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Eliot 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. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Nashoba | Sutton | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.