Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Norwich vs Weare
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Norwich has the highest household income ($140k).
Weare has the most affordable homes ($396k 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 | Norwich | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
3,640Lowest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.6±4Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Weare and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norwich and Weare 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 32% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$118,271±$17k 46% above U.S. |
| Norwich and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$396,300±$26kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,541±$214 9% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,272Lowest 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.2%±24.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Weare 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Weare 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Norwich School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.