Compare towns
Hartford vs Plymouth vs Portsmouth vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Hartford | Plymouth | Portsmouth | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
6,601 |
22,545Highest |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest 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+ | 22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$77,027±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$292,400±$22k 12% below U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,108±$255Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 30% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 70 in VT | #47 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Hartford School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Portsmouth School District | — |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Plymouth Regional High School | Portsmouth High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.4 |
— |
| 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.