What stands out worked out from the figures below

Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).

Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Portsmouth	Sutton
People
Population	22,545Highest	2,239Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	42.9±2Lowest about the NH average	48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH
	Sutton 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%	20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1%	21.6%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Portsmouth and Sutton 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%	44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%	4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6%
	Sutton 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±$7kLowest 7% above NH	$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH
	Sutton 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	$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH	$1,656±$614Lowest 11% above NH
	Portsmouth and Sutton 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	$7,652Lowest 15% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2%	27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Portsmouth and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%	95.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH	1971Highest 8 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below NH	29 minHighest 10% above NH
Work from home	21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8%	14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Portsmouth and Sutton 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	—
School district	Portsmouth School District	Kearsarge Regional School District
High school in town	Portsmouth High School	Kearsarge Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.