Compare towns
Topsham vs Strong 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k 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 | Topsham | Strong | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706 |
1,249Lowest |
10,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
| Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Lowest 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+ | 50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% 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 |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% 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 |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Kittery 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Strong 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 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | 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.