Compare towns
Durham vs Portsmouth vs South Hampton
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).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
South Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | South Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080 |
22,545Highest |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
45.1±5.3Highest 4% above NH |
| South Hampton 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 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
52.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$152,500±$44kHighest 54% above NH |
| South Hampton 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±$41kLowest 25% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$661,100±$45k 64% above NH |
| Portsmouth and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,889±$489Highest 27% above NH |
| South Hampton and Portsmouth 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 |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$9,109 37% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8Lowest 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9Lowest 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Portsmouth School District | South Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 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.