Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Belfast vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belfast has the most affordable homes ($341k median).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Belfast | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,244 |
6,986Lowest |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5 29% above ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
| Belfast and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Kittery and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.5%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.9% ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
$340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$182 9% above ME |
$962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,145 37% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 11% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Old Orchard Beach 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 | #67 of 133 in ME | #84 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 71 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Belfast Area High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.