What stands out worked out from the figures below

Portsmouth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).

New Ipswich has the most kids (29.9% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Portsmouth	New Ipswich
People
Population	22,545Highest	5,310Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6%	+2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	42.9±2Highest about the NH average	36.9±2.4Lowest 15% below NH
Kids under 18	14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2%	29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1%	12.3%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64%Highest NH: 40.6%	32.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.2Highest NH: 6%	2.6%±1.4Lowest NH: 6%
	Portsmouth and New Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH	$110,507±$9kHighest 12% above NH
	New Ipswich 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±$39kHighest 71% above NH	$392,400±$31kLowest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH	$882±$469Lowest 41% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,018Highest 20% above NH	$5,647Lowest 15% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	61.7%±41.5Highest NH: 48.2%
	New Ipswich 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%	1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%	82.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH	1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below NH	33 minHighest 22% above NH
Work from home	21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8%	12%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#11 of 120 in NH	#82 of 120 in NH
School district	Portsmouth School District	Mascenic Regional School District
High school in town	Portsmouth High School	Mascenic Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	11.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.