Compare towns
Lyme vs Dover 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
Lyme has the most homeowners (80.5%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Lyme | Dover | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
33,364Highest |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | Dover School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.