Compare towns
Townsend vs Kittery vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Townsend | Kittery | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
10,473 |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1 11% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24k 39% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,401Highest 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Lunenburg 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #17 of 133 in ME | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Kittery Public Schools | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Robert W Traip Academy | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.