Compare towns
Kittery vs Lyme vs South Hampton
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 affordable homes ($469k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
South Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Lyme | South Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
1,710 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.1±5.3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Lyme 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% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Hampton and Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Lyme 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. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$152,500±$44kHighest 89% above U.S. |
| South Hampton and Lyme 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. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$661,100±$45kHighest 99% above U.S. |
| South Hampton and Lyme 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. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,889±$489Highest 34% above U.S. |
| South Hampton 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,109 192% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Kittery 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% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — | — |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Lyme School District | South Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| 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.