Compare towns
Henniker vs Dover vs Portsmouth vs Pembroke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Pembroke has the most kids (24% under 18).
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 | Henniker | Dover | Portsmouth | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,197Lowest |
33,364Highest |
22,545 |
7,438 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$106,219±$7kHighest 7% above NH |
$89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,218±$354 18% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$7,589Lowest 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
67.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
25 minHighest 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Dover 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #85 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Henniker School District | Dover School District | Portsmouth School District | Pembroke School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Portsmouth High School | Pembroke Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.