Population 23,327 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Portsmouth
Household size in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.11 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.04 | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.10 | 2.60 | 2.49 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.14 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Portsmouth is a place of small households, averaging 2.14 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the east. Only four of the 68 New Hampshire cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.4 | 38.9 | 40.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.9 | 39.7 | 42.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.6 | 40.4 | 43.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.1 | 40.8 | 44.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.7 | +1.9 | +3.5 | +2.3 |
Portsmouth skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 38.4 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 10.4% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 9.6% | 8.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 9.7% | 8.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.4% of households in Portsmouth, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Portsmouth has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of New Hampshire cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Portsmouth
Renters in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.6% | 36.8% | 27.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.8% | 38.5% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.2% | 38.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.2% | 38.4% | 27.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +1.6 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Portsmouth than nationally: 47.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. About four in ten owners (40.6%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 68 New Hampshire cities with 5,000+ people, only three have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.1% | 12.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 7.4% | 12.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 7.3% | 12.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 11.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Portsmouth: just 5.6% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. That is in line with the rest of the Boston area. Vacancy is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1958 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1959 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1961 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1964 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Portsmouth is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the east has the oldest housing. Only two of the 68 New Hampshire cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,044 | $1,171 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,135 | $1,251 | $1,094 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,327 | $1,537 | $1,224 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,977 | $2,051 | $1,597 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$933 | +$881 | +$580 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Portsmouth costs $1,977 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $933 a month from 2006–10, an 89% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Portsmouth
Bachelor's degrees in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.7% | 42.2% | 33.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 54.7% | 44.1% | 35.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 58.1% | 48.2% | 37.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 64.6% | 51.9% | 41.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Portsmouth is highly educated: nearly two-thirds of adults 25 and older (64.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 16.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 68 New Hampshire cities with 5,000+ people, only five have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.5% | 89.8% | 91.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.6% | 90.6% | 92.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.9% | 91.5% | 93.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.5% | 91.8% | 94.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Portsmouth: 97.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.1 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Portsmouth has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of New Hampshire cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 7.0% | 5.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 8.0% | 6.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.1% | 4.6% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 4.9% | 3.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Portsmouth has been low: just 2.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.6 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Portsmouth compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | 2.14 | 44.1 | 5.4% | 47.2% | 5.6% | 1959 | $1,977 | 64.6% | 97.5% | 2.4% |
| New Castle | 2.06 | 62.8 | 0.7% | 7.0% | 13.9% | 1975 | $3,501 | 68.8% | 95.0% | 0.0% |
| Kittery | 2.11 | 43.0 | 5.2% | 36.6% | 8.9% | 1961 | $1,841 | 45.1% | 95.3% | 4.6% |
| Rye | 2.40 | 54.3 | 3.5% | 14.7% | 21.1% | 1974 | $1,797 | 62.9% | 97.6% | 4.3% |
| Greenland | 2.50 | 48.8 | 3.4% | 7.0% | 4.5% | 1987 | $2,442 | 61.4% | 98.1% | 2.4% |
| Kittery Point | 2.09 | 57.2 | 5.4% | 20.7% | 11.3% | 1968 | $2,103 | 52.3% | 98.6% | 7.3% |
| Newington | 2.71 | 44.1 | 2.8% | 11.0% | 1.8% | 1980 | $2,430 | 77.1% | 99.5% | 1.4% |
| West Rye | 2.30 | 49.9 | 2.2% | 9.3% | 4.1% | 1988 | $2,121 | 48.4% | 96.9% | 1.7% |
| Eliot | 2.32 | 50.8 | 11.1% | 20.1% | 4.7% | 1973 | $1,854 | 45.0% | 99.6% | 3.8% |
| Rye Beach | 2.44 | 56.5 | 3.4% | 6.6% | 17.3% | 1981 | $1,775 | 55.9% | 96.6% | 5.5% |
| North Hampton | 2.27 | 51.0 | 3.2% | 8.9% | 8.4% | 1984 | $1,901 | 53.1% | 95.7% | 1.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Suitland, MD · Fallon, NV · Fayetteville, TN · Fernley, NV · Forest, VA · Short Pump, VA · South San Jose Hills, CA · Stanwood, WA · Stoneham, MA · Stony Brook, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Portsmouth. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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