Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Hanover vs Exeter
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
8,479Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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% |
17%±2.7Highest 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% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover 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% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
62.4% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.