Compare towns
Hartford vs Portsmouth vs Exeter
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 affordable homes ($305k median).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Portsmouth | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Lowest |
22,545Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Exeter 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% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Exeter 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #11 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hartford School District | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Portsmouth High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
11.4 |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.