Compare towns
Topsham vs Barnstead 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
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Barnstead has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Barnstead | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706 |
4,994Lowest |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
42.8±3.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnstead and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$111,660±$12kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Barnstead and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$362,400±$25k 9% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,395±$75 about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$6,003Highest 92% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnstead and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #111 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Barnstead School District | 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 |
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.