Compare towns
Kittery vs Topsham 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%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Topsham | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
9,706 |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest 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% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and South Eliot 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% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$99,299±$9kHighest 33% above ME |
| South Eliot 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±$31k 58% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% 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 |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
$4,442 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot 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% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Topsham 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 | — |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Mt Ararat High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.2Highest |
— |
| 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.