Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Windham vs Keene
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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Windham | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545 |
16,038Lowest |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Windham 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Keene 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% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
| Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1961 18 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Windham School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Windham High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.