Compare towns
Norwich vs Portsmouth vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwich has the most kids (24% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k 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 | Norwich | Portsmouth | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,640Lowest |
22,545Highest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
64% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hartford and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Norwich 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | #11 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Norwich School District | Portsmouth School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.