Compare towns
Plymouth vs Portsmouth vs Holderness vs Plymouth
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).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Plymouth has the shortest commute (16 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 | Holderness | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,601 |
22,545Highest |
1,917Lowest |
4,969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest 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+ | 12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
63.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$107,863±$45kHighest 9% above NH |
$89,500±$32k 10% below 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 | $292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$294,400±$28k 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,296±$295 13% below NH |
| Holderness and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288 6% below NH |
$8,018Highest 20% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$6,483 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Plymouth 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
17% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3% NH: 72.8% |
51.9% NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 31% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | — | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Portsmouth School District | Holderness School District | — |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.