Compare towns
Rye vs Williston vs Eliot 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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
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 | Williston | Eliot | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,611Lowest |
10,144 |
7,146 |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Rye and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Rye 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Eliot 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Rye and Williston 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. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and Kittery 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #19 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rye School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.