Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Exeter vs Lyme
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Exeter | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
16,151 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest about the NH average |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Lyme and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter 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±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
| Lyme and Exeter 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 |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.