Compare towns
New Castle vs Portsmouth vs Hampton Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Hampton Falls has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
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 | New Castle | Portsmouth | Hampton Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 827Lowest |
22,545Highest |
2,328 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
42.9±2Lowest about the NH average |
49.5±7.3 14% above NH |
| New Castle and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hampton Falls and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| New Castle and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$166,157±$14k 68% above NH |
| New Castle and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$688,500±$39kLowest 71% above NH |
$772,600±$76k 92% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,852±$475Lowest 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,509 28% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
| Work from home | 40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle 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 | New Castle School District | Portsmouth School District | Hampton Falls 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.