What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).

Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sutton	Portsmouth
People
Population	2,239Lowest	22,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6%	+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH	42.9±2Lowest about the NH average
	Sutton and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2%	14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	21.6%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1%	21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1%
	Portsmouth and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%	64%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6%	3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
	Sutton and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH	$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH
	Sutton and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH	$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,656±$614Lowest 11% above NH	$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH
	Portsmouth and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,652Lowest 15% above NH	$8,018Highest 20% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Portsmouth and Sutton 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%	6.8%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 8 yrs older than NH	1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above NH	22 minLowest 17% below NH
Work from home	14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8%	21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8%
	Portsmouth and Sutton 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
School district	Kearsarge Regional School District	Portsmouth School District
High school in town	Kearsarge Regional High School	Portsmouth High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.