Compare towns
Durham vs Plymouth vs Dover 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 highest household income ($124k).
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
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 | Plymouth | Dover | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080 |
6,601Lowest |
33,364Highest |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 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+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Durham and Portsmouth 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 |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.1% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
52.7% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Dover School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Plymouth Regional High School | Dover Senior High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.8Highest |
12.7 |
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.