Compare towns
Newington vs Eliot vs Portsmouth vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Eliot has the most affordable homes ($499k median).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Newington | Eliot | Portsmouth | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 939Lowest |
7,146 |
22,545Highest |
1,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.7±10.1 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28%±11Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newington and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Newington and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,081 95% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newington and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 12% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #11 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newington School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Portsmouth School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None 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 | None yet |
U.S. 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.