Compare towns
Kittery vs York vs Saco 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 renters (32.8% rent).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
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 | York | Saco | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
13,986 |
20,819Highest |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8%Lowest 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 |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
| South 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% |
15.2%±4.7 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%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot and York 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% |
49.9% 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% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$99,299±$9k 33% above ME |
| York and South 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 |
$475,600±$52k 60% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,490±$336 31% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% 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 | $4,518 49% above ME |
$4,658 53% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$4,442Lowest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and York 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% |
5.5%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% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | York Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | York High School | 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.