Compare towns
Henniker vs Lyme vs Portsmouth vs Weare
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%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Weare has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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 | Lyme | Portsmouth | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,197 |
1,710Lowest |
22,545Highest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
| Lyme and Weare 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% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
| Lyme and Weare 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 |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$396,300±$26k about the NH average |
| Portsmouth and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,877 33% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5% NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Weare 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 | — | #11 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Henniker School District | Lyme School District | Portsmouth School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
11.4 |
| 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.