Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Wilmot vs Lyme vs Exeter
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 renters (48.1% rent).
Wilmot has the most affordable homes ($400k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Wilmot | Lyme | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
1,487Lowest |
1,710 |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+3.6% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest about the NH average |
53±2.4Highest 22% above NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Wilmot and Lyme 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% |
17.1%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Wilmot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.3%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% NH: 40.6% |
58.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3%±3.4Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter 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 |
$117,759±$15k 19% above NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Lyme and Wilmot 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 |
$399,600±$43kLowest about the NH average |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,125±$289Lowest 25% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Exeter 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 |
$6,651Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
41.1%±41.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Lyme 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% |
2.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | — | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | — | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | — | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.