Compare towns
Kittery vs Newington vs Saco vs Rye
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).
Newington has the highest household income ($146k).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Rye has the most people working from home (30.9%).
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 | Newington | Saco | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
939Lowest |
20,819Highest |
5,611 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
48.7±10.1 25% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Rye and Newington 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% |
15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Rye and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±11 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Newington 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% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
| Newington and Rye 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. |
$861,600±$46k 159% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
| Newington and Rye 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. |
$6,081 95% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newington and Saco 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Newington School District | Saco Public Schools | Rye School District |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | 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 | 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.