Compare towns
Madbury vs Eliot vs Portsmouth vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Madbury | Eliot | Portsmouth | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
7,146 |
22,545Highest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 3% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Madbury and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Durham 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #11 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Portsmouth School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.