Compare towns
Newington vs Kittery 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
Newington has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Newington | Kittery | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 939Lowest |
10,473 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.7±10.1Highest 25% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% 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 | 15.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Newington and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28%±11Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest 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+ | 62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,081 95% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 12% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 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 |
| School district | Newington 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.