The Town FilesKittery, Maine
Community in York County · population 4,973 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $461,400
- Household income
- $84,730
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 56 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 39.4
Kittery is a community of 4,973 people in York County, Maine. The median home is worth $461,400, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for cycling than 100% of Maine towns, better transit than 99% of Maine towns, more seaside character than 97% of Maine towns.
How Kittery ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kittery is worth $461,400, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 5.4 times the median household income of $84,730, which is more affordable than 8% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,697 a month. 55.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kittery | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $461,400 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,697 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $84,730 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 55.3% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Kittery
| People | Kittery | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.4% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.3% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 12.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 21.2% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 15.9 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 90.0% |
Weather in Kittery
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 16.3°F. About 50.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 55.8 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kittery since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 3, 1976 about 6.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 9, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 4, 2015.
Severe weather in York County since 1996
York County has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4785: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 15, 2022 | Coastal Storm | DR-4647: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in York County
York County had 79,378 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,811 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Kittery itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Towns near Kittery
- Portsmouth, NH2.9 mi · 21,956 people · home $688,500
- Rye, NH4.0 mi · 5,543 people · home $1,028,100
- South Eliot, ME4.2 mi · 3,719 people · home $475,600
- Eliot, ME4.3 mi · 6,717 people · home $498,900
- York Harbor, ME5.9 mi · 3,132 people · home $627,700
- Greenland, NH6.4 mi · 4,067 people · home $662,800
- Cape Neddick, ME8.1 mi · 3,037 people · home $684,400
- North Hampton, NH8.9 mi · 4,538 people · home $670,400
Kittery questions
Is Kittery, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kittery scores better for retirees than 85% of Maine towns and quieter than 15%. 27.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.4).
How much does a house cost in Kittery?
The median owner-occupied home in Kittery is valued at $461,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,730, so homes cost about 5.4 times income. Median rent is $1,697 a month.
What is the weather like in Kittery?
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 16.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.6 inches of precipitation a year and 55.8 inches of snow.
Does Kittery get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kittery since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 3, 1976. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)