Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Hanover vs Kittery vs Dover
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).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Kittery has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Hanover | Kittery | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545 |
11,685 |
10,473Lowest |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Portsmouth 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% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover 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% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Portsmouth 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% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Kittery Public Schools | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Hanover High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.7 |
9.9Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| 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.