Compare towns
Madbury vs Kittery vs Holderness vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Madbury | Kittery | Holderness | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203 |
10,473 |
1,917Lowest |
10,681Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 3% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
| Madbury and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$363,100±$60kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Durham and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Holderness and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Kittery Public Schools | Holderness School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | 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 |
U.S. 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.