Compare towns
Durham vs Hanover vs Madbury 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 20.8).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Hanover | Madbury | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080 |
11,685 |
2,203Lowest |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
| Hanover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$476,900±$31kLowest 18% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$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 | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Hanover High School | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— | 11.4 |
| 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.