Compare towns
Durham vs Portsmouth vs Stratham 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
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Stratham has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Stratham | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080 |
22,545Highest |
7,754Lowest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Stratham 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% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Stratham 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% |
64%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
69.9% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$151,998±$20kHighest 53% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Stratham 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 25% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Stratham 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 |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Stratham 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% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham 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 | 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.