Compare towns
Somersworth vs Kittery vs South Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somersworth has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
South Eliot has the most homeowners (79.9%).
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 | Somersworth | Kittery | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,111Highest |
10,473 |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.5±8Highest 43% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Somersworth and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Somersworth and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,504±$13kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$99,299±$9kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$23kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$475,600±$52kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,477±$134Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,155±$292Highest 53% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,805Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,442Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Somersworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and South Eliot 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 | #117 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Somersworth School District | Kittery Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Somersworth High School | Robert W Traip Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.