Compare towns
Kittery vs New Castle vs Newmarket 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
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Newmarket has the most kids (15.6% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Kittery | New Castle | Newmarket | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
827Lowest |
9,463 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.2±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Newmarket and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
64% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newmarket and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$100,845±$13k 25% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
$455,000±$22kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$1,671±$69Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,509 173% above U.S. |
$8,734Highest 180% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle and Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | — | #39 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | New Castle School District | Newmarket School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.