Compare towns
Dover vs Portsmouth vs Plymouth
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%).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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 | Portsmouth | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
22,545 |
4,969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dover and Portsmouth 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% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$106,219±$7kHighest 7% above NH |
$89,500±$32kLowest 10% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Dover 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 |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$294,400±$28kLowest 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,296±$295Lowest 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$6,483Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7Lowest 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% |
6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9% NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 15% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4Lowest 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Portsmouth School District | — |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Portsmouth High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.