Compare towns
Portsmouth vs New Castle vs Rye vs Lebanon
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1959).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Rye has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | New Castle | Rye | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
827Lowest |
5,611 |
14,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
55.1±3 27% above NH |
38.9±3.1Lowest 10% below NH |
| New Castle and Rye 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% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Rye and Lebanon 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% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| New Castle and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% NH: 40.6% |
68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
61.5% NH: 40.6% |
57.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Lebanon and Portsmouth 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 |
$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
$140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
$98,147±$10kLowest about the NH average |
| New Castle and Rye 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 |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89k 155% above NH |
$385,400±$29kLowest 4% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,781±$156 19% above NH |
$1,744±$132Lowest 17% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 20% above NH |
$8,509Highest 28% above NH |
$7,519Lowest 13% above NH |
$8,149 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Rye 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% |
4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.9% NH: 7.2% |
7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9% NH: 72.8% |
93%Highest NH: 72.8% |
85.5% NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1972 7 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
29 min 8% above NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle and Rye 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 | — | #2 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | New Castle School District | Rye School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | — | 11.7Highest |
| 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.