Compare towns
Lee vs Lyme vs Newington 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
Lee has the most affordable homes ($481k median).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Newington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Lee | Lyme | Newington | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,576 |
1,710 |
939Lowest |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9Lowest about the NH average |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
42.9±2Lowest about the NH average |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Lee and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,600±$61kLowest 19% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661 45% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.9% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the NH average |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Lyme 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | — | — | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Lyme School District | Newington School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 10 photos → | 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.