Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Plymouth 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 expensive homes ($689k median).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Kittery has the most homeowners (67.2%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Plymouth | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
6,601Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Portsmouth 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% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Kittery and Portsmouth 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% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Portsmouth 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% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Kittery 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. |
$292,400±$22kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,108±$255Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$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 | $8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Kittery 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% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 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. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Plymouth Regional High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.