Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Newfields 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 most renters (48.1% rent).
Newfields has the most kids (18.9% under 18).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Kittery has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
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 | Newfields | New Castle | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
2,023 |
827Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Newfields 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% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest 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% |
68.1% 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% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields 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. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29k 119% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Newfields and New Castle 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. |
$646,400±$34k 94% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323 33% 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,509 173% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than 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. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle and Newfields 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 |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Newfields School District | New Castle School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | — | 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.