Compare towns
South Eliot vs Portsmouth vs Kennebunkport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Eliot has the most affordable homes ($476k median).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Kennebunkport has the most people working from home (31.6%).
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 | South Eliot | Portsmouth | Kennebunkport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,203 |
22,545Highest |
3,684Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±8 43% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
59.1±5Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Kennebunkport and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| South Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.8%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
36.9%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunkport and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Portsmouth and Kennebunkport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,299±$9kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$102,747±$30k 27% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Kennebunkport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,600±$52kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$740,500±$109kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Kennebunkport and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,155±$292Highest 53% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,429±$296Lowest about the U.S. average |
| South Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,442 42% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$3,914Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.8%±20.1Lowest 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 | 5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.6%±9.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunkport 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 | #42 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Portsmouth School District | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | — | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.