Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Pembroke vs Hooksett
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 kids (24% under 18).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
7,438Lowest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Pembroke 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% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Hooksett 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% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
| Hooksett 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 |
$371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Highest 20% above NH |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest 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% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Portsmouth and Pembroke 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Pembroke School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Pembroke Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
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| 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.