Compare towns
Enfield vs Portsmouth vs Hartford vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Enfield has the most homeowners (82.1%).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Enfield | Portsmouth | Hartford | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,475Lowest |
22,545Highest |
10,736 |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.3±5.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
| Enfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 7.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.7%±7.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hartford and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,474±$19k 18% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,800±$71k 17% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,181±$563 16% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,203 99% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.8%±16.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith 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 | #5 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Portsmouth School District | Hartford School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | Hartford High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
9.6Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.