Compare towns
Strafford vs Kittery vs Mendon vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Sharon has the most affordable homes ($347k 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 | Strafford | Kittery | Mendon | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,372 |
10,473Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
| Kittery and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Mendon 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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Kittery Public Schools | — | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.