Compare towns
Kittery vs Wells vs Eliot 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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Wells | Eliot | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
11,713Highest |
7,146Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
| 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 |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Eliot and Wells 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 |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Eliot 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Eliot 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Wells High School | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.4 |
— | 12.7Highest |
| 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.