Compare towns
Kittery vs York vs Saco vs 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | York | Saco | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
13,986 |
20,819Highest |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
| Eliot and York 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% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| York and Saco 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% |
27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
| York 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% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco 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 |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
| York 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 |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,490±$336 31% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% 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 | $4,518Lowest 49% above ME |
$4,658 53% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
| York and Eliot 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| York and Kittery 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 | #13 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | York Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | York High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.