Compare towns
Newmarket vs Derry vs Milford 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
Derry has the most homeowners (70.2%).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($358k median).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
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 | Newmarket | Derry | Milford | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463 |
34,116Highest |
8,956Lowest |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.3% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
40.3±1.6 7% below NH |
36.7±3.7Lowest 15% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
23.2%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.7% NH: 40.6% |
37.4% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Derry and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$108,944±$7kHighest 10% above NH |
$78,684±$11kLowest 21% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Derry and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
$357,800±$16kLowest 11% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$1,547±$138Lowest 4% above NH |
$1,557±$120 4% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,734Highest 31% above NH |
$8,103 22% above NH |
$6,978Lowest 5% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.9% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9% NH: 72.8% |
70.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
59.4% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above NH |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
12.1%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | — | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Pinkerton Academy | — | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
13.9Highest |
— | 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.