Compare towns
Kittery vs Naples vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Naples has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Naples | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
3,985Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
49.8±6.8Highest 11% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Naples 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 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth 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±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$78,188±$13k 5% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
| Kittery and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$340,100±$48k 15% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Naples and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Naples 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Lake Region High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.7 |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.