Compare towns
South Hampton vs Wells 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
South Hampton has the highest household income ($153k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 Hampton | Wells | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 984Lowest |
11,713Highest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±5.3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| South Hampton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,500±$44kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,100±$45kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,889±$489Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| South Hampton and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,109Highest 192% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Wells 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | South Hampton School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells 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.