Compare towns
Milford vs Newington vs Newmarket 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
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Newington has the highest household income ($146k).
Portsmouth has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Milford | Newington | Newmarket | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,337 |
939Lowest |
9,463 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
49.7% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Newmarket and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,768±$14kLowest about the NH average |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$126Lowest 11% above NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,522 13% above NH |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$8,734Highest 31% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9% NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.9% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 min 13% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth 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 | #55 of 120 in NH | — | #39 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Milford School District | Newington School District | Newmarket School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Milford High School | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | 9.9Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.