Compare towns
Newmarket vs Durham vs Hanover 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
Newmarket has the most affordable homes ($455k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Portsmouth has the oldest population (median age 42.9).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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.
| Measure | Newmarket | Durham | Hanover | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463Lowest |
15,080 |
11,685 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% 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%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Newmarket and Hanover 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $455,000±$22kLowest 13% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,734 31% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9% NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Oyster River High School | Hanover High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.3Highest |
10.7 |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.