Compare towns

Portsmouth vs Milford vs Newington vs Newmarket

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%).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Newington has the highest household income ($146k).

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.

MeasurePortsmouthMilfordNewingtonNewmarket
People
Population
22,545Highest
16,337
939Lowest
9,463
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.7%
NH: +4.6%
+6.7%
NH: +4.6%
+7.7%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+5.5%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
42.9±2
about the NH average
36.8±2.5Lowest
15% below NH
48.7±10.1Highest
12% above NH
41.2±1.9
5% below NH
Newington 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%
23.7%±3.6Highest
NH: 18.2%
15.7%±4.9
NH: 18.2%
15.6%±2.7
NH: 18.2%
Milford 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%
15.1%±1.9Lowest
NH: 20.1%
28%±11Highest
NH: 20.1%
16.1%±2.8
NH: 20.1%
Newington 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%Highest
NH: 40.6%
37.2%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
62.4%
NH: 40.6%
49.7%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.8%±1.2Lowest
NH: 6%
4.2%±1.3
NH: 6%
3.9%±1.8
NH: 6%
5.6%±1.9Highest
NH: 6%
Newmarket 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
$145,833±$46kHighest
47% above NH
$100,845±$13k
about the NH average
Newington and Portsmouth 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
$398,800±$20kLowest
about the NH average
$861,600±$46kHighest
114% above NH
$455,000±$22k
13% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,869±$111
25% above NH
$1,661±$126Lowest
11% above NH
$2,292±$795Highest
54% above NH
$1,671±$69
12% 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
$7,522
13% above NH
$6,081Lowest
9% below NH
$8,734Highest
31% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50.4%±7.2
NH: 48.2%
49.6%±15.8
NH: 48.2%
62.9%±44Highest
NH: 48.2%
46.3%±8.3Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Newington 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%
NH: 7.2%
4.6%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
51.9%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
64.9%
NH: 72.8%
86.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
52.9%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1959Lowest
20 yrs older than NH
1982
3 yrs newer than NH
1984Highest
5 yrs newer than NH
1983
4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
22 minLowest
17% below NH
27 min
about the NH average
23 min
13% below NH
28 minHighest
6% above NH
Work from home
21.9%±4Highest
NH: 16.8%
15.6%±3.3
NH: 16.8%
8%±2.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
17.3%±3.3
NH: 16.8%
Portsmouth and Newmarket 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 — #39 of 120 in NH
School district Portsmouth School District Milford School District Newington School District Newmarket School District
High school in town Portsmouth High School Milford High School None in town Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.4Highest
10.7
—
9.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.