Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Lebanon vs New Castle 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1959).
Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Kittery has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
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 | Lebanon | New Castle | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
14,999 |
827Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Kittery and Lebanon 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% |
21.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon 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. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
$8,509Highest 173% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Lebanon 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% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle and Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | — | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Lebanon School District | New Castle School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Lebanon High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.7Highest |
— | 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.