Compare towns
Exeter vs Henniker vs Lebanon 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 the most kids (17% under 18).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Lebanon | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
6,197Lowest |
14,999 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
38.9±3.1 10% 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% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Henniker 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% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6 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% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.5% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$98,147±$10k about the NH average |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$385,400±$29k 4% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,744±$132 17% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$8,149 22% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
51.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Lebanon 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Henniker School District | Lebanon School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Lebanon High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 11.7 |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 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.