Compare towns

Newington vs Plymouth vs Henniker vs Portsmouth

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 highest household income ($146k).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Portsmouth has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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.

MeasureNewingtonPlymouthHennikerPortsmouth
People
Population
939Lowest
6,601
6,197
22,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.7%
NH: +4.6%
-4.4%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+27.9%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+5.7%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
48.7±10.1Highest
12% above NH
24.6±3.4Lowest
43% below NH
31.1±6.1
28% below NH
42.9±2
about the NH average
Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.7%±4.9Highest
NH: 18.2%
13.6%±3.6Lowest
NH: 18.2%
15.3%±3.7
NH: 18.2%
14%±1.9
NH: 18.2%
Newington and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
28%±11Highest
NH: 20.1%
12%±2.7Lowest
NH: 20.1%
16.5%±6
NH: 20.1%
21.9%±2.4
NH: 20.1%
Newington and Portsmouth 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%
54%
NH: 40.6%
41.4%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
64%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.8
NH: 6%
33.7%±3.5Highest
NH: 6%
27%±6.5
NH: 6%
3.8%±1.2Lowest
NH: 6%
Plymouth and Henniker 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
47% above NH
$77,027±$26kLowest
22% below NH
$95,206±$21k
4% below NH
$106,219±$7k
7% above NH
Newington and Portsmouth 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
$292,400±$22kLowest
27% below NH
$356,700±$49k
11% below NH
$688,500±$39k
71% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,292±$795Highest
54% above NH
$1,108±$255
26% below NH
$1,081±$164Lowest
27% below NH
$1,869±$111
25% 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
$6,288
6% below NH
$8,877Highest
33% above NH
$8,018
20% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
62.9%±44Highest
NH: 48.2%
33.8%±11.6Lowest
NH: 48.2%
43.5%±22.6
NH: 48.2%
50.4%±7.2
NH: 48.2%
Newington and Portsmouth 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%
18.6%Highest
NH: 7.2%
11.6%
NH: 7.2%
6.8%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
56.3%
NH: 72.8%
64.5%
NH: 72.8%
51.9%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1984Highest
5 yrs newer than NH
1981
2 yrs newer than NH
1974
5 yrs older than NH
1959Lowest
20 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minHighest
13% below NH
18 minLowest
31% below NH
20 min
24% below NH
22 min
17% below NH
Work from home
8%±2.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
11.7%±3.6
NH: 16.8%
15.5%±5.6
NH: 16.8%
21.9%±4Highest
NH: 16.8%
Portsmouth and Henniker 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 — #47 of 120 in NH #56 of 120 in NH #11 of 120 in NH
School district Newington School District Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District Henniker School District Portsmouth School District
High school in town None in town Plymouth Regional High School None in town Portsmouth High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.8Highest
—
11.4Lowest
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.