Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Lebanon vs Henniker
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).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Lebanon | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
14,999 |
6,197Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
38.9±3.1 10% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Lebanon 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% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Henniker and Lebanon 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% |
21.4%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Lebanon 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% |
57.5% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kHighest 7% above NH |
$98,147±$10k about the NH average |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Lebanon 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 |
$385,400±$29k 4% below NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,744±$132 17% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$8,149 22% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9% NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 17% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Lebanon School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Lebanon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
11.7Highest |
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| 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.