Compare towns
Topsham vs Wells 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 affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Topsham | Wells | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Lowest |
11,713Highest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| 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+ | 50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Wells 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 |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above 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±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
| Wells and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Wells High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.4 |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.