Compare towns
Newington vs Lyme 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
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Hampton Falls has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Lyme | Portsmouth | Hampton Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 939Lowest |
1,710 |
22,545Highest |
2,328 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.7±10.1 12% above NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
42.9±2Lowest about the NH average |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
| Hampton Falls 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 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| 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±$46k 47% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$166,157±$14kHighest 68% above NH |
| Hampton Falls and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$645,000±$64kLowest 60% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$772,600±$76k 92% above NH |
| Newington and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,852±$475 24% 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 | $6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
| Work from home | 8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | — | #11 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newington School District | Lyme School District | Portsmouth School District | Hampton Falls 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 |
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.