Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Bow vs New Castle vs Newmarket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Portsmouth has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Newmarket has the most affordable homes ($455k median).
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 | Portsmouth | Bow | New Castle | Newmarket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
8,335 |
827Lowest |
9,463 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
41.2±1.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
$100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
| New Castle and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$455,000±$22kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,671±$69 12% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,509 28% above NH |
$8,734 31% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
28 min 6% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle and Bow 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #39 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Bow School District | New Castle School District | Newmarket School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Bow High School | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.8Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| 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.