Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Newington vs Kittery vs Eliot
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).
Newington has the highest household income ($146k).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Newington | Kittery | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
939Lowest |
10,473 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
48.7±10.1 25% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Newington 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% |
28%±11Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newington and Eliot 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% |
62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Newington 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. |
$145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Newington 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±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Newington and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$6,081 95% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newington and Eliot 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 12% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery 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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Newington School District | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| 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.