Compare towns
Madbury vs Newmarket vs Plymouth vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Newmarket | Plymouth | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
9,463Highest |
6,601 |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
| Lee and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% NH: 40.6% |
49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Madbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
| Lee and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
— |
| Newmarket and Madbury 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 50% above NH |
$8,734 31% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Newmarket and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Newmarket 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 | — | #39 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Newmarket School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.