Compare towns
Portsmouth vs North Hampton vs Durham
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 renters (48.1% rent).
North Hampton has the most homeowners (91.3%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | North Hampton | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
4,543Lowest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
50.5±3.3Highest 17% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
19.2%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| North Hampton and Portsmouth 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% |
26%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| North Hampton 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% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$146,458±$29kHighest 48% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| North Hampton and Durham 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 |
$670,400±$61k 67% above NH |
$504,300±$41kLowest 25% above NH |
| Portsmouth and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,805±$106 21% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Portsmouth and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$8,529 28% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham 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% |
2.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
25 minHighest 8% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| North Hampton and Portsmouth 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 | #12 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | North Hampton School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.