Compare towns
Kittery vs Salisbury 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).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Salisbury | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
9,281 |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Salisbury 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. |
$478,700±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,691±$411 20% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Salisbury 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. |
$4,604Highest 48% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Salisbury 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Salisbury 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Triton | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
| 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.