Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Hampton Falls vs Exeter 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 renters (48.1% rent).
Hampton Falls has the highest household income ($166k).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Hampton Falls | Exeter | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
2,328Lowest |
16,151 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls 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% |
19.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Hampton Falls and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Hampton Falls 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% |
54.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$166,157±$14kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$772,600±$76kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,852±$475 31% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% 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. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Hampton Falls School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | 12.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.