Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Durham vs Kittery vs Exeter
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Kittery | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
15,080 |
10,473Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Durham and Exeter 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. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Exeter 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Exeter 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Kittery Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Oyster River High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.3Highest |
9.9Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.