Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Kittery vs Rye vs Exeter
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).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Kittery | Rye | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
10,473 |
5,611Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Rye 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% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 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% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest 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. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Rye and Exeter 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. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% 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. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #2 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Kittery Public Schools | Rye School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.9Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.