Compare towns
Ashland vs Durham vs Portsmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Ashland | Durham | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
15,080 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
| Portsmouth and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Durham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | None yet |
NH 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.