Compare towns
Kittery vs South Berwick vs York vs Ellsworth
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
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 | South Berwick | York | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
7,670Lowest |
13,986Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
49.5±5.2Highest 10% above ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| York 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% |
21.1%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| York 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% ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth 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±$13k 33% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
| York and South Berwick 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 |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,490±$336 31% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| South Berwick and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 49% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$4,658 53% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| York 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | York Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Marshwood High School | York High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
13.0Highest |
9.6Lowest |
12.7 |
| 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.