Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Exeter vs New Castle vs Concord
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%).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k 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 | Exeter | New Castle | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545 |
16,151 |
827Lowest |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.3% NH: +4.6% |
+3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Concord and Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Concord 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 7% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
$84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 20% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$8,509 28% above NH |
$7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
93%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
23 min 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | New Castle School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Exeter High School | None in town | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.1 |
— | 13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.