Compare towns
Kittery vs Strafford vs Saco
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Strafford | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
1,372Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Saco 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% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Strafford 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% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saco and Strafford 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. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Strafford 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. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Saco 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. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Strafford School District | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.