Compare towns
Eliot vs Lyme vs Newington vs Portsmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most affordable homes ($499k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Eliot | Lyme | Newington | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
1,710 |
939Lowest |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
48.7±10.1 25% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±11Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newington and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
64% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
| Newington and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,081 95% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newington and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 12% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | — | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lyme School District | Newington School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.