Compare towns
Dover vs Portsmouth vs Windham
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 the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Portsmouth has the oldest population (median age 42.9).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
22,545 |
16,038Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Portsmouth School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Portsmouth High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.