Compare towns
Durham vs Hampton Falls 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
Hampton Falls has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Durham has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Hampton Falls | Portsmouth | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080 |
2,328Lowest |
22,545Highest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Hampton Falls and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hampton Falls and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Falls 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% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$166,157±$14kHighest 68% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$772,600±$76kHighest 92% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
| Hampton Falls and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,852±$475 24% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 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 | 15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
53.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Hampton Falls 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 | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Hampton Falls School District | Portsmouth School District | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | Portsmouth High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 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.