Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Dover vs Durham
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 expensive homes ($689k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Portsmouth | Dover | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545 |
33,364Highest |
15,080Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
52.7% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Durham 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.7Highest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.