Compare towns
Portsmouth vs New Ipswich vs Plymouth
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).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
5,310Lowest |
6,601 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
36.9±2.4 15% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
12.3%±3 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$110,507±$9kHighest 12% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% 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 |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$882±$469Lowest 41% below NH |
$1,108±$255 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Highest 20% above NH |
$5,647Lowest 15% below NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±41.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest 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% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 120 in NH | #82 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Mascenic Regional School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Mascenic Regional High School | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
11.7 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.