Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Ogunquit vs Exeter
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k 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 | Ogunquit | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
1,379Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Ogunquit 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. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
— | $1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.