Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Hampton Falls vs Rye 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Rye has the most people working from home (30.9%).
Kittery has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
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 | Rye | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
2,328Lowest |
5,611 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3 27% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Rye and Hampton Falls 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% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Hampton Falls and Rye 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye 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% |
54.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Portsmouth 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. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Rye 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. |
$772,600±$76k 132% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,852±$475 31% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Hampton Falls 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. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Rye 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Highest 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% |
85.5% 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. |
1972 8 yrs 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. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and Kittery 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 | — | #2 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Hampton Falls School District | Rye School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | — | 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.