Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Hillsborough vs Plymouth
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 expensive homes ($689k median).
Hillsborough has the most homeowners (92.3%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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 | Hillsborough | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
5,980 |
4,969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Hillsborough 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% |
17.4%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hillsborough and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kHighest 7% above NH |
$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
$89,500±$32k 10% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$294,400±$28k 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,296±$295 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Highest 20% above NH |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
$6,483 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough 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% |
6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9% NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1974Highest 5 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Hillsborough 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 | #97 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.