Compare towns
Franconia vs Portsmouth vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franconia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Franconia | Portsmouth | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,060Lowest |
22,545Highest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±7Highest 43% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Franconia and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Franconia and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Franconia and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,292±$28kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $530,300±$96k 59% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,281±$278Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,451 139% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±74.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Franconia and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Eliot 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 | — | #11 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lafayette Regional School District | Portsmouth School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.