Compare towns

Portsmouth vs Wilmot vs Kittery vs Newmarket

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).
Wilmot has the most homeowners (83.4%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Newmarket has the youngest population (median age 41.2).

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.

MeasurePortsmouthWilmotKitteryNewmarket
People
Population
22,545Highest
1,487Lowest
10,473
9,463
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
42.9±2
10% above U.S.
53±2.4Highest
36% above U.S.
46.8±2.3
20% above U.S.
41.2±1.9Lowest
6% above U.S.
Kids under 18
14%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.7%±2.9
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
Wilmot and Newmarket 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%
24.3%±4.6
U.S.: 17.2%
26.9%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.1%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Kittery and Wilmot 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%
58.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
46%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
49.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.8%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
3%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Newmarket 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.
$117,759±$15kHighest
46% above U.S.
$93,728±$14kLowest
16% above U.S.
$100,845±$13k
25% above U.S.
Wilmot 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±$39kHighest
107% above U.S.
$399,600±$43kLowest
20% above U.S.
$468,500±$31k
41% above U.S.
$455,000±$22k
37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,869±$111Highest
32% above U.S.
$1,125±$289Lowest
20% below U.S.
$1,716±$224
21% above U.S.
$1,671±$69
18% 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
$8,018
157% above U.S.
$6,651
113% above U.S.
$4,518Lowest
45% above U.S.
$8,734Highest
180% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50.4%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.1%±41.8
U.S.: 51.1%
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.3%±8.3
U.S.: 51.1%
Portsmouth and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
51.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
83.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1959Lowest
21 yrs older than U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
1965
15 yrs older than U.S.
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
22 min
16% below U.S.
33 minHighest
23% above U.S.
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
28 min
7% above U.S.
Work from home
21.9%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
18.9%±3.8
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.3%±3.3Lowest
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 — #17 of 133 in ME #39 of 120 in NH
School district Portsmouth School District — Kittery Public Schools Newmarket School District
High school in town Portsmouth High School — Robert W Traip Academy Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.4Highest
—
9.9Lowest
9.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.