Compare towns
Kittery vs South Berwick vs Saco vs South Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
South Eliot has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | South Berwick | Saco | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
7,670 |
20,819Highest |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot 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% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
49.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Kittery 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 25% above ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$99,299±$9k 33% above ME |
| South Berwick and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME |
$475,600±$52kHighest 60% above ME |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,726±$83 52% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 49% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$4,442Lowest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Saco 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Saco Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Marshwood High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
13.0Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.