Compare towns
Plymouth vs Holderness 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
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Portsmouth has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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 | Plymouth | Holderness | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,969 |
1,917Lowest |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
| Portsmouth and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Holderness and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.7% NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,500±$32kLowest 10% below NH |
$107,863±$45kHighest 9% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Holderness and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,400±$28kLowest 27% below NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,296±$295Lowest 13% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| Holderness and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 about the NH average |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$8,018Highest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 8 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 39% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 120 in NH | — | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Holderness School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.