Compare towns
Kittery vs Ogunquit vs Salem 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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Salem | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Saco and Salem 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%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% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Kittery 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
— | $1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Salem and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% 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% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 133 in ME | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | — | Salem | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.