Compare towns
Keene vs Madbury vs Newmarket vs Portsmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
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 | Keene | Madbury | Newmarket | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
2,203Lowest |
9,463 |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
49.7% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,734 31% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.9% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 18 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | — | #39 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Newmarket School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
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.