Compare towns
Greenland vs Durham vs Portsmouth vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Greenland has the most people working from home (32.2%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Greenland | Durham | Portsmouth | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,106Lowest |
15,080 |
22,545Highest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.4±7.7Highest 12% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Greenland and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Greenland and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Greenland and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $162,837±$11kHighest 64% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
| Greenland and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $662,800±$42k 65% above NH |
$504,300±$41kLowest 25% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Greenland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,331±$363Highest 56% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
| Greenland and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,420Lowest 11% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.3%±44.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Greenland and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.3% NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 23% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 32.2%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Greenland and Auburn 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 | #10 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Greenland School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Portsmouth School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 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.