Compare towns
Kittery vs Stratham vs Exeter 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).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Stratham | Exeter | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
7,754Lowest |
16,151Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Exeter 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%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Ellsworth 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% |
20.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Exeter 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% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Ellsworth 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. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518 45% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Ellsworth 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Exeter High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.1 |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.