Compare towns
Kittery vs Topsham vs South Berwick
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%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Topsham | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
9,706 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Kittery and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Topsham 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% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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 |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
| South Berwick 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 58% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
| Kittery and South Berwick 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 |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above 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 |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Topsham 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and South Berwick 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Mt Ararat High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.2 |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.