Compare towns
Kittery vs Rye vs Williston vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k 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 | Rye | Williston | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
5,611Lowest |
10,144 |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Rye 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Kittery 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% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Bath 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. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Rye and Williston 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. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Williston and Rye 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. |
$7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Williston 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Lowest 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Rye School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | — | 14.8Highest |
| 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.