Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Hartford vs Lyme
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 renters (48.1% rent).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Lyme has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
10,736 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Hartford 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%±3 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Hartford 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hartford 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±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
| 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 32% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Portsmouth 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Hartford School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.