Compare towns
Kensington vs Portsmouth vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Kensington | Portsmouth | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,009Lowest |
22,545Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.3±5.9 about the NH average |
42.9±2Lowest about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Kensington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,083±$18kHighest 67% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $657,700±$47k 63% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,813±$627Lowest 22% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,637Highest 45% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.4%±38.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 7% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.2%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | #11 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kensington School District | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.