Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Bow vs Lebanon vs Kittery
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).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Kittery has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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 | Lebanon | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
8,335Lowest |
14,999 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% 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%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest 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+ | 64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon and Bow 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. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Lebanon 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. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon and Bow 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Bow School District | Lebanon School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Bow High School | Lebanon High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.8Highest |
11.7 |
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.