Compare towns
Portsmouth vs New Ipswich vs Hillsborough
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
New Ipswich has the most kids (29.9% under 18).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 Ipswich | Hillsborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
5,310Lowest |
5,980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
36.9±2.4Lowest 15% below NH |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Hillsborough 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% |
29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
12.3%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hillsborough 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% |
32.1% NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest 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±$7k 7% above NH |
$110,507±$9kHighest 12% above NH |
$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below 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±$31k about the NH average |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$882±$469Lowest 41% below NH |
$1,198±$390 20% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Highest 20% above NH |
$5,647Lowest 15% below NH |
$5,815 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±41.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.7% NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Hillsborough 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 | #82 of 120 in NH | #97 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Mascenic Regional School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Mascenic Regional High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.7Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.