Compare towns
Kittery vs West Bath vs Ellsworth vs Gray
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).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Gray has the most kids (19% 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 | West Bath | Ellsworth | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
1,863Lowest |
8,657 |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| West Bath 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% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Ellsworth 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% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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% ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray 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 25% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| West Bath and Gray 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 |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Kittery and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gray 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and West Bath 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
12.5 |
| 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.