For most people who can afford it, yes. Portsmouth grades A− overall, 33rd of 125 graded towns in New Hampshire. It is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns. Its schools outperform 90% of the state's and the median household earns $106K. The trade-off is money: homes are expensive, about $791K for a typical one and 6.8 times the Boston metro’s $116K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 99% of U.S. towns, with 42 places on the National Register. 35% of working residents work locally in Portsmouth, above both the New Hampshire town median (9.8%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). On walkability, just 4 of New Hampshire’s 187 towns do better. Its National Register listings include MacPheadris-Warner House and Richard Jackson House.

StrongestA⁺History A⁺Health ASchoolsWeakestDCost of living

What makes Portsmouth stand out

Where Portsmouth beats most towns.

MacPheadris-Warner House

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1630

A history going back 396 years.

Jobs vs. working residents

Jobs here35,852

Residents who work11,559

Work

3.1 jobs for every working resident

A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 98% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023.

MacPheadris-Warner House · National Register of Historic Places

Portsmouth’s story

396 years in pictures

MacPheadris-Warner House is one of 8 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1630, comes before those of 98% of the New Hampshire towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 4,720 in 1790, 21,956 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1720 and 3 maps from 1916 on.

42 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1630Portsmouth is settled

Explore the history →

How Portsmouth grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Hampshire), ordered by how far Portsmouth is from typical.

How grading works

HealthPortsmouth Regional Hospital 0.6 miles awayA⁺Open →Cost of livingDOpen →SchoolsAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.6 of 20; 4.9% of households have no car; 5.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →Jobs & incomeA⁻Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 27% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB⁺Open →SafetyB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

OutdoorsA⁻Open →History46 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life8.1 library visits per resident; 9.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateSnowy winters, 80° summer afternoons, 56″ of snow–Open →Housing market49 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.9; 64% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Strawbery Banke and 49 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Portsmouth. Close and well known come first.

All 181 attractions →

in town MuseumStrawbery Banke

26 mi Ancient siteAmerica's Stonehenge

12 mi LighthouseCape Neddick Light

4 mi LandmarkFort William and Mary

30 mi Theme parkCanobie Lake Park

38 mi MuseumPeabody Essex Museum

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Strawbery Banke: Ken Gallager (Ken Gallager from en.wikipedia), Public domain · America's Stonehenge: User:Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cape Neddick Light: Stefan Hillebrand, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort William and Mary: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Canobie Lake Park: Alex1961, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Peabody Essex Museum: Fletcher6, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Portsmouth: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Portsmouth, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerUnitil21.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterPortsmouth Water WorksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpTue downtownOther neighborhoods Mon–FriTown site

SchoolsPortsmouth School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteIn personNew Hampshire has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail only in special circumstances (received 13 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereCity Clerk of PortsmouthThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2026

ZIP code0380103801 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 19, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Portsmouth.

Portsmouth draws workers from Dover and beyond and gets more snow than most of the country, though not than most of New Hampshire; it also has homes that cost more against local pay than most of New Hampshire.

HealthA⁺

Portsmouth’s grade for health is an A+

9.9% of adults report frequent physical distress in Portsmouth. Portsmouth beats the New Hampshire average on 17 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 27% of adults feel lonely in Portsmouth.

97%healthier than U.S. townsA⁺Health Grade

	Portsmouth	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	9.9%	12%	14%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	27%	30%	33%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	8.2%	11%	14%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	14%	16%	17%

32 measures vs. New Hampshire

17 better15 too close to call0 worse

What stands out	Portsmouth	NH
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth	6.7%	8.9%
Fewer adults with COPD	4.7%	6.2%

Portsmouth Regional Hospital

0.6 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

96th

percentile among NH towns

Full pagePortsmouth’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby0.6 miles to an ER · Portsmouth Regional Hospital How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than NH on 17 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SchoolsA

Portsmouth’s grade for schools is an A

Its A for schools comes with a D for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $791K.

Its public schools are run by the Portsmouth School District. Three of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Portsmouth High School, with 1,017 students.

90%of NH districts it outscoresASchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Portsmouth Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	486	A⁻
Portsmouth High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,017	A
New Franklin SchoolTop results in townGrades K–5	Grades K–5	247	A⁺

Full pagePortsmouth’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsPortsmouth School District Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 2 graded neighbors Every school7 schools · Portsmouth High School Questions“Are Portsmouth’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NH on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade A⁻

About one in three working residents works right in Portsmouth

35,852 jobs are based in Portsmouth, 3.1 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 27,220 in 2013 to 35,852.

About one in 3 of Portsmouth’s working residents works in town. 22% of Portsmouth workers work from home. Jobs based in Portsmouth grew to 35,852 in 2023, 8,632 more than in 2013.

35%work in town

	Portsmouth	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	22%	16%	11%
Average trip to work	22 minutes	28 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$106,000	$103,000	$80,000
Below the poverty line	6.8%	6.7%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Portsmouth35%

Dover4%

Manchester4%

Exeter3%

Boston3%

10 mi

median commute distance

35,852

jobs based in Portsmouth

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 90% of U.S. towns

Full pagePortsmouth’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here35,852 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work35% work in Portsmouth Commute times22 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 10 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HousingCost of living grade D

A smaller share of households in Portsmouth own their home than in the typical New Hampshire or U.S. town

At 6.8 years of the Boston metro’s $116K median household income, the typical home (about $791K) costs more against local pay than in 90% of New Hampshire towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living. Its typical home is the least expensive on its borders; Greenland is next at $893K.

Among 126 New Hampshire towns, just 3 have a lower share of households owning their home than Portsmouth. The median rent in Portsmouth is $1,869 a month. The typical Portsmouth home is worth about $791,000, up 3.4% in a year, 55% above the New Hampshire typical home.

$791KZillow home value

	Portsmouth	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	52%	82%	73%
Median rent	$1,869 a month	$1,382 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Portsmouth$791K

New Hampshire$511K

Market temperature

days on market

98.3%

sale-to-list price

+3.4%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pagePortsmouth’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 3.4% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 7.4 years of income Rents$1,869 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

OutdoorsA⁻

Conserved land covers 12% of Portsmouth

21 miles of trail in 23 parks and preserves. Portsmouth’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Great Bog Wildlife Management Area, at 260 acres.

#59for trails in NH

	Portsmouth	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	1.3 miles per square mile	1.2	0.4
Conserved land	12%	18%	4.3%

12%

conserved · 1,287 of 10,699 acres

21 mi

of trails · 1.3 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Urban Forestry Center	3.5 mi	172
2. Sagamore Creek Headlands	1.5 mi	66
3. Community Campus	0.8 mi	73

Full pagePortsmouth’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map21 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk3.5 miles of trail · Urban Forestry Center Conserved land12% conserved · 1,287 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Portsmouth?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B⁺

Low risk in Portsmouth, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 73% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 34 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Portsmouth.

27risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingEarthquakesCoastal flooding

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pagePortsmouth’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims34 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters5 federal disasters · Paid out in Portsmouth Get ready1.2 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Portsmouth

The Eliot weather station records that 56 inches of snow fall in a normal winter: more than most of the country, but less than 91% of New Hampshire places with climate records.

Portsmouth has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 80° and January nights drop to 16°.

56″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter19–36°

Spring35–55°

Summer58–78°

Fall42–60°

Oct 8

typical first frost

May 4

typical last frost

+1.7°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pagePortsmouth’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 80°, January lows 16°Rain & snow56″ of snow a winter · 48 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

SafetyB⁻

Crime per resident in Portsmouth is lower than in 50% of U.S. towns

Only 9 of the 125 New Hampshire towns we compare have a higher violent crime rate than Portsmouth. New Hampshire has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Portsmouth sits closer to the middle.

50%of U.S. towns report more crimeB⁻Safety Grade

	Portsmouth	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	11.3 per 1,000 residents	4.4	9.9
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	2 per 1,000 residents	0.7	1.6

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Portsmouth2

New Hampshire1.2

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Portsmouth11.3

New Hampshire8.3

U.S.15.5

50th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

12th

percentile among NH towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

262

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pagePortsmouth’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type2 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsSteady since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors Questions“Is Portsmouth, NH safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Portsmouth

20pages on Portsmouth

The big questions

SchoolsABeat 90% of NH districts · 7 schools SafetyB⁻2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA⁺Better than NH on 17 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD$791K typical home · up 3.4% in a year Work & commuteA⁻$106K median household income · 35,852 jobs here Natural hazardsB⁺FEMA risk higher than 27% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻21 mi of trails · 12% conserved land PlacesAttractions181 nearby · Strawbery Banke under 1 mi LibraryA⁻8.1 library visits per resident CollegesGreat Bay Community College, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1630 · 42 on the National Register Famous people46 born in Portsmouth Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 32 residents Climate80° summer highs · 56″ of snow

Day to day

News5 recent stories about Portsmouth WeatherHandbookZIP code 03801, 03802, 03803 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Portsmouth

Great Bay Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · PortsmouthIn town$7,200 in-state tuition University of New HampshireUniversity or college · Public · Durham9.3 mi$19,202 in-state tuition

About 4 of every 100 Portsmouth residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Hampshire.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

By the sea

Portsmouth lives by the ocean

Coastal flooding makes up 11% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.

11%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding

98thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally

34paid flood-insurance claims since 1979

5storm & flood disasters paid out here

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap

Landmarks

42 places in Portsmouth on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

MacPheadris-Warner HouseNational Historic Landmark

Moffatt-Ladd HouseNational Historic Landmark

Richard Jackson HouseNational Historic Landmark

Wentworth-Coolidge MansionNational Historic Landmark

Famous people from Portsmouth

46 notable people were born in Portsmouth.

See all 46 →

Ronnie James DioAmerican heavy metal singer · 1942–2010

Thomas Bailey AldrichAmerican poet, novelist, editor · 1836–1907

Ilene WoodsAmerican actress and singer · 1929–2010

Elliott CouesAmerican ornithologist · 1842–1899

John LangdonAmerican politician and Founding Father · 1741–1819

Brooke AstorAmerican philanthropist, socialite, and writer · 1902–2007

About Portsmouth

City in New Hampshire, United States

Official town website ↗

Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. It had a population of 21,956 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on the Piscataqua River bordering the state of Maine, Portsmouth was formerly the home of the Pease Air Force Base, since converted to Portsmouth International Airport at Pease.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1630
Area: 17 sq mi
Elevation: 20 ft
ZIP code: 03801, 03802, 03803
Area code: 603

Portsmouth’s neighbors

7 towns share a border with Portsmouth.

Explore the map →

How the neighbors grade

Town	NH rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Portsmouth	#33	A⁻	D	B⁻	A	A⁺
New Castle	—	—	—	—	—	—
Newington	—	—	—	—	—	—
Rye	#17	A	C⁻	A⁺	A⁺	A⁺
Greenland	#20	A	D	B⁺	A⁻	A⁺

New Castle and Newington aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Portsmouth with a neighbor →

Questions about Portsmouth

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Portsmouth, NH a good place to live?

For most people who can afford it, yes. Portsmouth grades A− overall, better than 83% of U.S. towns and #33 of 125 in New Hampshire. It grades A+ for health, B− for safety and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Portsmouth, NH safe?

Yes, by national standards. New Hampshire has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Portsmouth sits nearer the middle.

Is Portsmouth, NH expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Portsmouth, NH known for?

46 notable people were born here, including Ronnie James Dio and Thomas Bailey Aldrich.

Post to Portsmouth

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