Compare towns
Exeter vs Hanover vs Portsmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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 | Exeter | Hanover | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
8,479Lowest |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 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.