Compare towns
Durham vs Lyme 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
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Lyme has the most homeowners (80.5%).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
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 | Lyme | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681 |
1,710Lowest |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
64%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
| Lyme 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±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
22 minHighest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Lyme School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.