Compare towns

Kittery vs Portsmouth vs Windham

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 most affordable homes ($469k median).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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.

MeasureKitteryPortsmouthWindham
People
Population
10,473Lowest
22,545Highest
16,038
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
46.8±2.3Highest
20% above U.S.
42.9±2
10% above U.S.
41.1±2.9Lowest
6% 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
14.7%±2.9
U.S.: 22%
14%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
26.9%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
21.9%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.6Lowest
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+
46%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
64%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Kittery and Portsmouth 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.
$106,219±$7k
32% above U.S.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$468,500±$31kLowest
41% above U.S.
$688,500±$39k
107% above U.S.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,716±$224Lowest
21% above U.S.
$1,869±$111
32% above U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,518Lowest
45% above U.S.
$8,018
157% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.4%±7.2
U.S.: 51.1%
52.2%±50.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Windham and Portsmouth 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%
6.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
51.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1965
15 yrs older than U.S.
1959Lowest
21 yrs older than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
22 min
16% below U.S.
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4Lowest
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 #17 of 133 in ME #11 of 120 in NH #13 of 120 in NH
School district Kittery Public Schools Portsmouth School District Windham School District
High school in town Robert W Traip Academy Portsmouth High School Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.9Lowest
11.4
12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.