Compare towns
Keene vs Kittery vs Portsmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Kittery has the most homeowners (67.2%).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k 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 | Keene | Kittery | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
10,473Lowest |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Kittery and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 118% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Portsmouth 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Kittery Public Schools | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
9.9Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.