Compare towns
Lebanon vs Eliot vs Portsmouth vs Enfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Eliot has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Enfield has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
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 | Lebanon | Eliot | Portsmouth | Enfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,999 |
7,146 |
22,545Highest |
4,475Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
58.3±5.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Enfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
7.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Enfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$95,474±$19kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$390,800±$71k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,181±$563Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$6,203 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.8%±16.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon and Portsmouth 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #11 of 120 in NH | #5 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lebanon School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Portsmouth School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District |
| High school in town | Lebanon High School | None in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.