Compare towns
Penobscot vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Penobscot has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Penobscot | Kittery |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
| Penobscot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Penobscot 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 |
| School district | Penobscot Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.