Compare towns
Plymouth vs Portsmouth vs Exeter vs Lebanon
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 24.6).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Exeter | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,601Lowest |
22,545Highest |
16,151 |
14,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
38.9±3.1 10% below NH |
| Exeter 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 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
57.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$98,147±$10k about the NH average |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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 |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$385,400±$29k 4% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,744±$132 17% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$8,149 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter 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 NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3% NH: 72.8% |
51.9% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 31% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lebanon 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Portsmouth High School | Exeter High School | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
12.1 |
11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.