Compare towns
Durham vs Portsmouth vs Eliot vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
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 | Portsmouth | Eliot | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080 |
22,545Highest |
7,146Lowest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1 26% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
64% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Eliot 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 221% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Portsmouth School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.4 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.