Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Windham vs New Castle 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).
Windham has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k 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 | New Castle | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
16,038 |
827Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$176,953±$29k 79% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Windham and New Castle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$723,300±$50k 80% above NH |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$3,218±$350 116% above NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,509 28% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Windham 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Windham School District | New Castle School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Windham High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | 12.1 |
| 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.