Compare towns
Plymouth vs Portsmouth vs Eliot vs Newmarket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Portsmouth | Eliot | Newmarket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,601Lowest |
22,545Highest |
7,146 |
9,463 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.2±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$100,845±$13k 25% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$455,000±$22k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,671±$69 18% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288 102% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,734Highest 180% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Eliot 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #39 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Portsmouth School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Newmarket School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.4 |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.