Compare towns
Rollinsford vs Hanover vs Portsmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rollinsford has the most affordable homes ($398k median).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Rollinsford | Hanover | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,626Lowest |
11,685 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.8±5.5 10% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
| Portsmouth and Rollinsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Rollinsford and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Rollinsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,500±$26kLowest 10% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,100±$33kLowest about the NH average |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,809±$394Lowest 21% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,851Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±26.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 13 yrs older than NH |
1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the NH average |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 25.9%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Rollinsford 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 | #94 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rollinsford School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.