Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Rye vs Kittery vs Dover
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).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Rye | Kittery | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545 |
5,611Lowest |
10,473 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Rye and Dover 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover 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. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
| Rye 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. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Rye 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. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Dover 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% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Rye School District | Kittery Public Schools | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | 9.9Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| 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.