Compare towns
Madbury vs Portsmouth vs Newfields
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 the most kids (29% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Portsmouth | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,203 |
22,545Highest |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
44.1±1.8Highest about the NH average |
| Newfields 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 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31kLowest 18% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$646,400±$34k 61% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
| Newfields 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 50% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Newfields 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% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Newfields 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 | — | #11 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Portsmouth School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.