Compare towns
Newfields vs Portsmouth vs Plymouth vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Newfields | Portsmouth | Plymouth | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,023Lowest |
22,545Highest |
6,601 |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±1.8 about the NH average |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.6%±0.9 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
54%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±7.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,400±$34k 61% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% 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 | $1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% 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 |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfields School District | Portsmouth School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | Plymouth Regional High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 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.