Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Holderness 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 expensive homes ($689k median).
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
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 | Holderness | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
1,917Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
39.4±7.4Lowest 9% 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%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness 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 NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter 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±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Holderness 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 |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
| Holderness and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 20% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Holderness School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | 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.