Compare towns
South Berwick vs Kittery vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
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 | South Berwick | Kittery | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,670 |
10,473Highest |
5,766Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
| Kittery and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8% ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Kittery and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
$93,728±$14kLowest 25% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
| New Gloucester and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
| Kittery and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
| South Berwick and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
$3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and South Berwick 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
9.9Lowest |
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| 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.