Compare towns
Durham vs Dover vs Portsmouth vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dover has the most kids (16.9% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Durham has the most homeowners (64.4%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Durham | Dover | Portsmouth | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,681Lowest |
33,364Highest |
22,545 |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 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+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$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 | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% NH: 72.8% |
52.7% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Portsmouth School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | Portsmouth High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.