Compare towns
Brookline vs Portsmouth vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Brookline | Portsmouth | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
22,545Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
42.9±2Highest 10% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Portsmouth School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.