Compare towns
Topsham vs Appleton vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Topsham | Appleton | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706 |
1,360Lowest |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest 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 | $91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259 40% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | — | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Appleton Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.