Compare towns
Newmarket vs Plainfield vs Portsmouth vs Newfields
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Plainfield | Portsmouth | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463 |
2,522 |
22,545Highest |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
44.1±1.8Highest about the NH average |
| Newfields 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Newfields 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% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Plainfield 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% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Newfields 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±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$646,400±$34k 61% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Newfields 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 |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
| Newfields 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 |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 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% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Newfields 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Plainfield School District | Portsmouth School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | None in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.