Compare towns
New Castle vs Kittery vs Portsmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
Bordering New CastleRye
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Kittery has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
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 | New Castle | Kittery | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 827Lowest |
10,473 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Kittery and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest 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+ | 68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 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 | $176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,509Highest 173% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Lowest 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 | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | New Castle School District | Kittery Public Schools | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.