Compare towns
Portsmouth vs White River Junction vs Hanover vs Exeter
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1959).
White River Junction has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | White River Junction | Hanover | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
3,364Lowest |
11,685 |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
33.7±3.2 13% below U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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% |
17.1%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| White River Junction and Exeter 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$77,168±$4kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$278,800±$78kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,222±$216Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$5,651Lowest 81% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Exeter 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% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | — | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | — | Hanover High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.