Compare towns
Newington vs Plainfield vs Eliot vs Portsmouth
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).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Eliot | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 939Lowest |
2,522 |
7,146 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.7±10.1 25% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 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% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Newington 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. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
| Newington and Plainfield 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. |
$442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 12% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Plainfield 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 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newington School District | Plainfield School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| 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.