Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Dover vs Kittery vs Newington
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 renters (48.1% rent).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Newington has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Kittery | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545 |
33,364Highest |
10,473 |
939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
48.7±10.1Highest 25% 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 | 14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Newington 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% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±11Highest 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+ | 64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover 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. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$145,833±$46kHighest 81% 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 | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,292±$795Highest 62% 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 | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,081 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.9%±44Highest 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 | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Dover School District | Kittery Public Schools | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Dover Senior High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.7Highest |
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.