Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Windham vs Newington vs South Eliot
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 most renters (48.1% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
South Eliot has the most affordable homes ($476k 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 | Newington | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
16,038 |
939Lowest |
4,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.7±10.1 25% above U.S. |
55.5±8Highest 43% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Newington 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±11 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newington 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±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$145,833±$46k 81% above U.S. |
$99,299±$9kLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Windham and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$475,600±$52kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,292±$795 62% above U.S. |
$2,155±$292 53% above U.S. |
| Windham and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018 157% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,081 95% above U.S. |
$4,442Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.9%±44 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Windham School District | Newington School District | — |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Windham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.