Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Milford vs New Castle 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 renters (48.1% rent).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
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 | Milford | New Castle | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
16,337 |
827Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$97,768±$14kLowest about the NH average |
$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,661±$126Lowest 11% above NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 20% above NH |
$7,522Lowest 13% above NH |
$8,509 28% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
93%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle 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 | #55 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Milford School District | New Castle School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Milford High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.7Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| 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.