Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Pembroke vs Amherst
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 expensive homes ($689k median).
Pembroke has the most affordable homes ($372k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Pembroke | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
7,438Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
41.9±3.3Lowest 3% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst 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 NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Amherst 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% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Portsmouth and Amherst 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 |
$89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 20% above NH |
$7,589Lowest 14% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Pembroke 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% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 120 in NH | #85 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Pembroke School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Pembroke Academy | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
13.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.