Compare towns
Dover vs Newmarket vs Plymouth 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
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Dover | Newmarket | Plymouth | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
9,463 |
6,601Lowest |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Dover and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$106,219±$7kHighest 7% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$8,734Highest 31% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
52.9% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #39 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Newmarket School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Plymouth Regional High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
9.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.