Compare towns
South Berwick vs Topsham vs Kittery
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).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Topsham | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,670Lowest |
9,706 |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
| Kittery and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
| South Berwick and Kittery 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 |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% 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 |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
| 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 |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Topsham 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Mt Ararat High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.2 |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.