Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Durham vs White River Junction
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Portsmouth has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
White River Junction has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Durham | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
10,681 |
3,364Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest 10% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
33.7±3.2 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| White River Junction 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$77,168±$4kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| 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 107% above U.S. |
$498,000±$45k 50% above U.S. |
$278,800±$78kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
$1,222±$216Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,651Lowest 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and White River Junction 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | — | — |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.