What stands out worked out from the figures below

Litchfield has the most homeowners (86.7%).

Portsmouth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Litchfield	Portsmouth
People
Population	8,499Lowest	22,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	43.1±1.7Highest about the NH average	42.9±2Lowest about the NH average
	Litchfield and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2%	14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	14.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1%	21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6%	64%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.6Highest NH: 6%	3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
	Litchfield and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$162,036±$11kHighest 64% above NH	$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,000±$18kLowest 20% above NH	$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,138±$406Highest 43% above NH	$1,869±$111Lowest 25% above NH
	Litchfield and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,273Highest 24% above NH	$8,018Lowest 20% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	81.5%±38.3Highest NH: 48.2%	50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Litchfield and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1%Lowest NH: 7.2%	6.8%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH	1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 9% above NH	22 minLowest 17% below NH
Work from home	21%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8%	21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8%
	Portsmouth and Litchfield 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	#53 of 120 in NH	#11 of 120 in NH
School district	Litchfield School District	Portsmouth School District
High school in town	Campbell High School	Portsmouth High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4	11.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.