Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Keene vs Newington 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 people working from home (21.9%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Newington has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Keene | Newington | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545 |
22,939Highest |
939Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Newington 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 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Newington 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% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Newington 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% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Newington 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 |
$6,812 about the NH average |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Newington 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% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1961 18 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Keene School District | Newington School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Keene High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.3Highest |
— | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.