Compare towns
Newmarket vs Newington vs Durham 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).
Newington has the most homeowners (86.9%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Portsmouth has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Newington | Durham | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463 |
939Lowest |
15,080 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% 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 | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Newington and Newmarket 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% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest 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+ | 49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Newington 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 |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% 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 | $8,734 31% above NH |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Newington 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9% NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Durham 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 | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Newington School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | None in town | Oyster River High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.