Compare towns
Kittery vs Rye vs Sugar Hill
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 most affordable homes ($469k median).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Sugar Hill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.9%).
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 | Rye | Sugar Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
5,611 |
658Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Lowest 20% above U.S. |
55.1±3 42% above U.S. |
60.8±2.1Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Rye and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
37.2%±12.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sugar Hill and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$154,091±$32kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| Sugar Hill 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±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$639,700±$50k 92% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,208±$630Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rye and Kittery 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. |
$7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
$7,340 135% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rye and Sugar Hill 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% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±4.8Lowest 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Rye School District | — |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.