Compare towns
Kittery vs Mendon vs Strafford
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).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% 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 | Mendon | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Lowest 20% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford 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. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Mendon 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. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford 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% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Mendon 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 | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.