Compare towns
Northbridge vs Kittery vs Kennebunk vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the youngest population (median age 43.8).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Northbridge | Kittery | Kennebunk | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
10,473 |
11,820 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 55% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Upton 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #17 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 21 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Robert W Traip Academy | Kennebunk High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
9.9Lowest |
11.6Highest |
11.2 |
| 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.