Compare towns
Kittery vs Newington 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
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
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 | Kittery | Newington | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
939Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
48.7±10.1Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Newington and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Newington 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% |
28%±11Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newington 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% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest 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 | $93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,081 95% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Newington School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| 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.