Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Eliot vs Kittery vs Newmarket
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).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Newmarket has the youngest population (median age 41.2).
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 | Eliot | Kittery | Newmarket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
7,146Lowest |
10,473 |
9,463 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
41.2±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| 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% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Newmarket 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newmarket 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±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$100,845±$13k 25% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Eliot 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. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$455,000±$22kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,671±$69Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,734Highest 180% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #39 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Kittery Public Schools | Newmarket School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
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.