Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Rye vs Kittery vs South 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).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
South Eliot has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
5,611 |
10,473 |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
55.1±3 42% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.5±8Highest 43% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Rye 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% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Rye and South Eliot 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% |
31.7%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot and Rye 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% |
49.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Portsmouth 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. |
$99,299±$9k 23% 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±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$475,600±$52k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$2,155±$292Highest 53% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Portsmouth 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. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
$4,442Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Portsmouth 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest 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% |
79.9% 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. |
1973Highest 7 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. |
21 min 22% 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% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Rye School District | Kittery Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | 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.