Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Rye vs Newington 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).
Rye has the most people working from home (30.9%).
Newington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Rye | Newington | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
5,611 |
939Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
48.7±10.1 25% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Rye 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% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Rye 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±11 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Newington 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% |
62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest 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% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest 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. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Newington and Rye 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. |
$861,600±$46k 159% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Newington 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. |
$6,081 95% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% 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% |
62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newington 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 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 | Newington 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.