Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Hartford vs Eliot vs Exeter
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 expensive homes ($689k median).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Hartford | Eliot | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
10,736 |
7,146Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Hartford 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. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Exeter 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Hartford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Hartford High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.6Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.