Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Durham vs Exeter vs New Castle
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
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 | Durham | Exeter | New Castle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
15,080 |
16,151 |
827Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
68.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$8,509 28% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Exeter 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
93%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle and Portsmouth 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | New Castle School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Oyster River High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.3Highest |
12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 59 photos → | 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.