Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Bow vs Rye vs Newington
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 most renters (48.1% rent).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Rye has the most people working from home (30.9%).
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 | Rye | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
8,335 |
5,611 |
939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
48.7±10.1 12% above NH |
| Rye and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
28%±11 NH: 20.1% |
| Rye and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.5% NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
$145,833±$46k 47% above NH |
| Bow and Newington 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±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$861,600±$46k 114% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,781±$156 19% above NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 20% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,519 13% above NH |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
85.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1972 7 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
29 minHighest 8% above NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Bow School District | Rye School District | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | — |
| 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.