Compare towns
Holderness vs Portsmouth vs Plainfield vs Madbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Holderness | Portsmouth | Plainfield | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
22,545Highest |
2,522 |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Plainfield and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
| Holderness and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
22 min 17% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Plainfield 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 | — | #11 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Holderness School District | Portsmouth School District | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.