Compare towns
Kingston vs Kittery vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Kingston | Kittery | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,275Lowest |
10,473 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $492,900±$58kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$156Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,906 153% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Exeter 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sanborn Regional School District | Kittery Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Sanborn Regional High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.9Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.