Compare towns
Kittery vs West Bath vs Eliot vs Saco
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%).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
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 | West Bath | Eliot | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
1,863Lowest |
7,146 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
| West Bath 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% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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% ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and West Bath 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 |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
| West Bath and Eliot 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 |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME |
| 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 |
$1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above 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 |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Saco 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — | — |
| 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.