Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Lyme vs Durham
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 renters (48.1% rent).
Lyme has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Lyme | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
1,710Lowest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Lyme and Portsmouth 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% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Lyme and Durham 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 |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$504,300±$41kLowest 25% above NH |
| 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 25% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 17% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Lyme School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 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.