Compare towns
Newington vs South Eliot 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).
South Eliot has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | South Eliot | Kittery | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 939Lowest |
4,203 |
10,473 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.7±10.1 25% above U.S. |
55.5±8Highest 43% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Newington 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% |
15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Newington and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28%±11 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot and Newington 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% |
49.9% 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% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 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. |
$99,299±$9k 23% 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. |
$475,600±$52k 43% 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. |
$2,155±$292 53% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
| Newington and South Eliot 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. |
$4,442Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.9%±44 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Newington 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% |
5.5% 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% |
79.9% 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. |
1973 7 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 | 23 minHighest 12% below U.S. |
21 min 22% 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% |
14.2%±4.5 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 | 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.