Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Plymouth vs Madbury
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 people working from home (21.9%).
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Plymouth | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
6,601 |
2,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
52.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 20% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Plymouth 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% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.