Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Somersworth vs Bath
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 expensive homes ($689k median).
Somersworth has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Bath has the most homeowners (64.3%).
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 | Somersworth | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
12,111 |
8,815Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
38.4±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Bath 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% |
19.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Somersworth and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Somersworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$74,504±$13k 8% below U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$318,400±$23k 4% below U.S. |
$310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,477±$134 5% above U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$6,805 118% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Somersworth and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Bath 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 | #117 of 120 in NH | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Somersworth School District | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Somersworth High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
11.4Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.