Compare towns
Kittery vs Ogunquit vs Needham vs Ellsworth
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Ogunquit | Needham | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
1,379Lowest |
32,459Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Ellsworth 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
— | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Needham 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | — | Needham | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — | Needham High | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 11.9 |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.