Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Bow vs Kittery vs South Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
South Eliot has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Portsmouth | Bow | Kittery | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
8,335 |
10,473 |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.5±8Highest 43% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$99,299±$9k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$475,600±$52k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,155±$292Highest 53% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,442Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Bow School District | Kittery Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Bow High School | Robert W Traip Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.