Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Lyme vs Durham 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).
Lyme has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Kittery has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Lyme | Durham | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
1,710Lowest |
15,080 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Lyme 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% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Durham 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. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Kittery 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Lyme School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Oyster River High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | 12.3Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.