Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Eliot vs New Castle vs Newmarket
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 renters (48.1% rent).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Eliot | New Castle | Newmarket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
7,146 |
827Lowest |
9,463 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.2±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newmarket and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$100,845±$13kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
$455,000±$22kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$1,671±$69Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,509 173% above U.S. |
$8,734Highest 180% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #39 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | New Castle School District | Newmarket School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | — | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.