Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Hanover vs Bow
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).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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 | Hanover | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
8,479 |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hanover 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% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover 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% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
62.4% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Bow 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | — | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | — | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.