Compare towns
Portsmouth vs South Eliot vs Dover vs New Castle
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).
South Eliot has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k 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 | South Eliot | Dover | New Castle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545 |
4,203 |
33,364Highest |
827Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
55.5±8 43% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
| New Castle and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and South Eliot 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% |
32.8%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Portsmouth 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 32% above U.S. |
$99,299±$9k 23% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$475,600±$52k 43% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$2,155±$292 53% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$4,442Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,509Highest 173% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle and Portsmouth 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | — | Dover School District | New Castle School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | — | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.