Part of the Moving to Maine guide
From locals, not a chamber of commerce. Updated July 2026.
Short Answer
Kittery is Maine's southern gateway, and for a lot of people it's the best-located town in the state. It sits right across the river from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, so you get a walkable, revitalized village (Kittery Foreside), Seacoast dining and culture minutes away, a major stable employer in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, easy access to both Portland (about 50 minutes) and Boston (about 90), and the Maine coast at your doorstep. The tradeoff is cost: as prime York County seacoast, housing is among Maine's pricier markets. It's a strong fit for shipyard workers, Seacoast commuters, remote workers, and anyone who wants coastal Maine with big-town amenities close by. See the Greater Portland region guide and the full Moving to Maine guide.
Kittery is Maine with a five-minute bridge to Portsmouth, coastal village life on one side, a lively Seacoast city on the other, and no state line hassle to enjoy either.
For example
A common story: a shipyard worker buys in Kittery or just inland in Eliot for a short commute to Seavey Island and easy access to Portsmouth. Or a remote-working couple chooses Kittery Foreside for walkable coastal living with Portsmouth's restaurants minutes away and Portland and Boston both an easy drive.
Kittery suits people who want coastal Maine without giving up city access. It's a town of about 10,000 at Maine's southern tip, effectively part of the Portsmouth Seacoast region. It's a strong fit for people who work at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard or elsewhere on the Seacoast, remote workers who want walkable coastal living with an airport and cities nearby, professionals commuting to Portsmouth or Portland, and anyone who prizes location and amenities. It's a weaker fit for budget-focused buyers or those wanting lots of rural land, both are easier to find inland or north.
Kittery is in York County, Maine's priciest region alongside Greater Portland. Its seacoast location and Portsmouth proximity keep home prices high, generally well above inland Maine, with competitive inventory. That's the main tradeoff for the location. You can sometimes find better value by looking slightly inland (Eliot, South Berwick, Berwick) while keeping the Seacoast access. As everywhere in Maine, plan for winter heating; property taxes vary, so check the current mill rate. For the convenience it offers, many buyers consider the premium worth it.
Want a town that fits your situation?
Find your best-fit town →Kittery's economic anchor is the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, one of the region's largest employers, which (despite the name) sits on Seavey Island in Kittery and provides thousands of stable, well-paid federal jobs. Beyond that, Kittery benefits from the entire Portsmouth Seacoast job market just across the river, a diverse mix of healthcare, tech, hospitality, retail (including the famous Kittery outlets), and professional services. Portland is about 50 minutes north for still more options. Few Maine towns offer this much employment within easy reach.
Location is Kittery's superpower. You're minutes from downtown Portsmouth and its nationally regarded restaurant, arts, and music scene, with no border friction, and you have your own walkable, revitalized village in Kittery Foreside, plus the Kittery outlets, coastal parks (Fort Foster, Fort McClary), and quick access to York's beaches. Portland is an easy day trip and Boston is about 90 minutes. It's the rare Maine town where a genuine coastal-village life comes with big-town culture, an international airport (Portsmouth/Manchester/Boston options), and easy travel.
The big one is cost, as prime York County seacoast, housing runs among the highest in Maine, and the market can be competitive. Summer brings heavy Seacoast and outlet traffic through the area. And because it's so close to New Hampshire, some of daily life orients toward Portsmouth rather than into Maine, which suits some people and not others. Winters are real but milder than inland Maine thanks to the coast. For location-driven buyers, the tradeoffs are usually worth it.
Yes, if
You want walkable coastal Maine with immediate access to Portsmouth's amenities, a strong job market (the shipyard plus the Seacoast), and easy trips to Portland and Boston, and you can handle prime-seacoast housing prices. Location and convenience rank high for you.
No, if
Affordability or rural acreage is your priority, or you want to be immersed in a quieter, more distinctly Maine setting rather than the Portsmouth Seacoast. Inland York County or towns further north cost less.
Yes, it's in York County, Maine's priciest region alongside Greater Portland. Its seacoast location and Portsmouth proximity keep home prices well above inland Maine, with competitive inventory. Looking slightly inland (Eliot, South Berwick) can improve value while keeping Seacoast access.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, actually located in Kittery, is a major employer with thousands of stable federal jobs. Beyond it, the entire Portsmouth Seacoast job market (healthcare, tech, hospitality, retail, professional services) is minutes away, and Portland is about 50 minutes north.
Downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire is just across the river, minutes away with no border hassle. Portland is about 50 minutes north, and Boston is roughly 90 minutes south, making Kittery one of the most connected towns in Maine.
Yes, it's a genuine year-round community, not a seasonal resort. The coastal location makes winters milder than inland Maine, and the Portsmouth Seacoast provides year-round jobs, dining, and culture. The main consideration is the high cost of housing.
For some, daily life orients toward Portsmouth across the river rather than into Maine, which many people love and others find makes it feel less distinctly Maine. It still offers its own walkable village (Kittery Foreside), coastal parks, and quick access to York's beaches.
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