Compare towns
Norwich vs Portsmouth vs Stowe
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 highest household income ($140k).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,640Lowest |
22,545Highest |
5,285 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Stowe 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% |
22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Stowe 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% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norwich and Portsmouth 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. |
$93,618±$33kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $637,500±$76kLowest 92% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157k 95% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Stowe 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. |
$1,458±$242Lowest 3% above 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. |
$7,161Lowest 130% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Norwich 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% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stowe 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | #11 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Norwich School District | Portsmouth School District | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.