What stands out worked out from the figures below

Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).

Kennebunk has the most homeowners (80.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Portsmouth	Kennebunk
People
Population	22,545Highest	11,820Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S.	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Kennebunk and Portsmouth 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%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Portsmouth and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,219±$7kLowest 32% above U.S.	$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S.
	Kennebunk and Portsmouth 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.	$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S.	$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,018Highest 157% above U.S.	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Portsmouth and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	21.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Kennebunk 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 133 in ME
School district	Portsmouth School District	RSU 21
High school in town	Portsmouth High School	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	11.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.