Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Stratham vs Kittery vs Rye
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).
Stratham has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Kittery has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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 | Stratham | Kittery | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
7,754 |
10,473 |
5,611Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Rye 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% |
20.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Stratham 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. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
| Stratham 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. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Kittery Public Schools | Rye School District |
| 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.