Compare towns
Rye vs Mendon vs Upton vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Rye | Mendon | Upton | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,611Lowest |
6,325 |
8,189 |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Upton and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37k 85% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,519 141% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #210 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rye School District | Mendon-Upton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.



