Compare towns
Plymouth vs Hanover vs Portsmouth vs Durham
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 most affordable homes ($292k median).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Portsmouth has the oldest population (median age 42.9).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Hanover | Portsmouth | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,601Lowest |
11,685 |
22,545Highest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
22 minHighest 17% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Portsmouth School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Hanover High School | Portsmouth High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.4 |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.