Compare towns
Deerfield vs Exeter 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
Deerfield has the most homeowners (91.3%).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k 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 | Deerfield | Exeter | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,932Lowest |
16,151 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±4.2Lowest about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Deerfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±3.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,563±$10kHighest 33% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
| Deerfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $421,000±$33kLowest 5% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,593±$318Lowest 7% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,369Lowest 11% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Deerfield 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Deerfield School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 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.