Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Windham vs Norwich vs New Castle
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%).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k 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 | Norwich | New Castle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
16,038 |
3,640 |
827Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Norwich 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8% 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% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norwich 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 32% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29k 119% above U.S. |
| 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 107% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76kLowest 92% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350 128% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 157% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,509 173% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Windham School District | Norwich School District | New Castle School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Windham High School | None in town | 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.