Compare towns
Kittery vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Saco
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Upton | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saco 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±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Upton 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±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Upton 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. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Kittery 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. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% 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% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.