Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Dover vs Keene 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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Kittery has the most homeowners (67.2%).
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 | Dover | Keene | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545 |
33,364Highest |
22,939 |
10,473Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
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% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 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% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Kittery 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. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Dover 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Dover School District | Keene School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.7Highest |
12.3 |
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.