Compare towns
Newmarket vs Lee vs South Hampton 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).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
South Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Portsmouth has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Lee | South Hampton | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463 |
4,576 |
984Lowest |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9Lowest 5% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
45.1±5.3Highest 4% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| South Hampton and Lee 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% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| South Hampton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.4 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Portsmouth 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% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
52.4% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Newmarket and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$152,500±$44kHighest 54% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| South Hampton and Lee 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 |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$661,100±$45k 64% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Portsmouth and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69Lowest 12% above NH |
— | $1,889±$489Highest 27% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| South Hampton and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,734 31% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$9,109 37% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket 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% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
88.6% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 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 |
28 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | — | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Oyster River Coop School District | South Hampton School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | None in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | — | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 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.