Town Hall · Portsmouth

Portsmouth, NH town hall & government

Portsmouth spent $195.4 million in the year to June 30, 2022, about $9,064 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Portsmouth's government.

Town budget · Census estimate

Where Portsmouth's money goes

Spent
$195.4 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2022
Per resident
$9,064
typical New Hampshire cities: $4,160
Long-term debt
$280.7 million
$13,021 per resident
Schools
$58.4 million30%
Water & other utilities
$23.7 million12%
Sewer & trash
$19.7 million10%
Roads & transportation
$18.9 million10%
Police
$16.3 million8%
Fire
$9.7 million5%
Administration & buildings
$8.9 million5%
Interest on debt
$7.2 million4%
Parks & libraries
$1 million1%
Paid to other governments
$7,000<1%
Other
$31.6 million16%

Portsmouth runs its own schools, so school spending is part of its budget. Comparisons are with other New Hampshire cities.

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 52%
  • Fees & charges 22%
  • From the state 10%
  • Utility sales 5%
  • Other taxes & licenses 5%
  • From other local governments 4%
  • Interest, fines & other 3%
  • From the federal government <1%

Portsmouth didn't report all of its 2022 figures to the Census Bureau, so most of these numbers are the Bureau's estimates.

Town workforce

Who works for Portsmouth

Full-time staff
700
234 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$80,800
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
65
and 61 full-time firefighters
Schools
353 full-time105 part
Police
87 full-time16 part
Fire
62 full-time1 part
Parks & libraries
22 full-time73 part
Sewer & trash
43 full-time3 part
Administration & buildings
36 full-time1 part
Roads & transportation
23 full-time
Water & other utilities
19 full-time1 part
Courts, inspections & corrections
5 full-time1 part
Health & welfare
3 full-time2 part
Housing & development
3 full-time
Other
44 full-time31 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Property tax

What homeowners in Portsmouth pay

Typical tax bill
$8,018
a year · New Hampshire typical $6,667
Effective rate
1.16%
of home value · New Hampshire 1.66%
Typical home value
$688,500
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Portsmouth's government

🏛️ Official websitecityofportsmouth.com ↗

Town hall & decisions in Portsmouth →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Portsmouth

Portsmouth is represented in Congress by Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Margaret Wood Hassan and Representative Chris Pappas. Kelly Ayotte is governor.

All of Portsmouth's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Portsmouth

New Hampshire · NH
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