Compare towns
Kittery vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
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 | Needham | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Lowest |
32,459Highest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Saco 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Saco 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Saco 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Needham | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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| 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.