Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety94#888/15,637
Economy85#2,372/15,631
Housing46#8,096/14,977
Health95#810/15,609
Healthcare91#1,412/15,650
Environment61#5,977/15,453
Education100#48/15,649
Infrastructure97#399/15,650
Community99#203/15,651
Leisure & amenities88#1,911/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Portsmouth, New Hampshire ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Rockingham County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Gyms and fitness centers · high2.6 /10k
98/100New Hampshire 2.0 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsRockingham County value
Loneliness · low28.3%
98/100New Hampshire 32.0%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Poor or fair health · low10.5%
97/100New Hampshire 13.9%United States 19.9%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
High school diploma or higher · high97.4%
97/100New Hampshire 94.4%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Lack of reliable transportation · low4.8%
96/100New Hampshire 6.1%United States 8.3%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Voter turnout · high79.9%
95/100New Hampshire 74.7%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionRockingham County value

Weaknesses

Home price to income ratio · high6.5×
8/100New Hampshire 4.1×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Drought exposure · high81%
12/100New Hampshire 63%United States 43%Nov 2025–Oct 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAARockingham County value
Income inequality (Gini index) · high0.482
14/100New Hampshire 0.444United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Comfortable days · low23.8%
21/100New Hampshire 22.2%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationRockingham County value
Job growth · low-1.2%
24/100New Hampshire -1.2%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataRockingham County value
High ozone days · high2 days
28/100New Hampshire 1 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyRockingham County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
38.9% (2015-2019) → 50.4% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
New homes permittedImproving
11.0 /1k (2021) → 15.9 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+45%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Home price to income ratioWorsening
5.1× (2015-2019) → 6.5× (2020-2024)
+28%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
24.6% (2015-2019) → 30.1% (2020-2024)
+5.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
58.6% (2015-2019) → 64.0% (2020-2024)
+5.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
89.2% (2015-2019) → 94.6% (2020-2024)
+5.3 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Portsmouth, New Hampshire improved on 4 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 7 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved4

Property tax−0.4 points1.45% → 1.03%
Bachelor's++5.4 points58.6% → 64.0%
Household income+27%$83,923 → $106,219
Broadband+5.3 points89.2% → 94.6%

Declined3

Price / income+1.4×5.1× → 6.5×
Rent / income+5.5 points24.6% → 30.1%
Rent burden+12 points38.9% → 50.4%

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Portsmouth, New Hampshire between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	22.8 min2015-2019	22.2 min2020-2024	−0.6 min	Within the margin of error	55%
Bachelor's degree or higher	58.6%2015-2019	64.0%2020-2024	+5.4 points	Improved	71%
Broadband subscriptions	89.2%2015-2019	94.6%2020-2024	+5.3 points	Improved	34%
Child poverty rate	7.9%2015-2019	7.4%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	48%
Effective property tax rate	1.45%2015-2019	1.03%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Improved	85%
High school diploma or higher	95.8%2015-2019	97.4%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Within the margin of error	54%
Home price to income ratio	5.1×2015-2019	6.5×2020-2024	+1.4×	Declined	11%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4502015-2019	0.4822020-2024	+0.032	Within the margin of error	25%
Median household income	$83,9232015-2019	$106,2192020-2024	+27%	Improved	48%
Poverty rate	6.7%2015-2019	6.8%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	42%
Rent as share of income	24.6%2015-2019	30.1%2020-2024	+5.5 points	Declined	20%
Rent-burdened households	38.9%2015-2019	50.4%2020-2024	+12 points	Declined	20%
Unemployment rate	2.1%2015-2019	2.5%2020-2024	+0.4 points	Within the margin of error	40%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	4.6%2015-2019	5.8%2020-2024	+1.2 points	Within the margin of error	32%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Portsmouth, New Hampshire five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Portsmouth, New Hampshire in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Portsmouth, New Hampshire itself moved −6.8 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

22,545 residents (±34)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 60–69 men (+2.1 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

22,545 residents (±34)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

White86%19,431
Black0.2%†51
Hispanic or Latino3.8%864

Education

17,880 residents (±439)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

No high school diploma2.6%†463
High school or GED16%2,887
Some college12%2,139

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

10,902 households (±387)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

Under $25k12%1,310
$25k–50k11%1,165
$50k–75k13%1,395
$75k–100k12%1,292
$100k–150k23%2,496
$150k–200k8.6%943
$200k or more21%2,301

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $200k or more (+7.7 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

10,902 households (±387)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

Own52%5,661
Rent48%5,241

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

5,150 households (±437)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

Under $75011%†562
$750–1,0004.8%†246
$1,000–1,50018%951

Home values

5,661 homes (±409)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

Under $150k2.7%†150
$150k–250k1.4%†78
$250k–400k9.6%544

Age of homes

11,370 homes (±405)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

2010 or later9.5%1,075
2000–20096.4%729
1980–199918%2,015

Size of homes

11,370 homes (±405)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

Studio3.5%†393
1 bedroom17%1,936
2 bedrooms40%4,580

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

12,412 workers (±494)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

Drive alone69%8,511
Carpool2.8%†352
Public transit0.9%†115
Walk4.1%†504
Bike0.7%†85
Work from home22%2,720
Other1.0%†125

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+12.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

9,692 workers (±581)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire
New Hampshire share

Under 15 min42%4,115
15–29 min34%3,333
30–44 min7.9%769

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Rockingham County, the county holding most of Portsmouth's residents.

Rockingham County has 10,266 employer establishments, 320 for every 10,000 residents (1.29× the US rate of 248; 1.14× New Hampshire's), with 152,257 paid employees at an average annual pay of $67,471. The Census Bureau also counts 30,115 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 10,266; 30,115 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 320; US 248 · New Hampshire 280
Paid employees: 152,257
Average annual pay: $67,471; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Rockingham County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	882	27.5	1.78×More than typical	7,365	$79,914	2,422
Restaurants and other eating places	800	25	1.36×More than typical	14,185	$28,157	77
Ambulatory health care services	736	23	1.10×About typical	9,717	$75,902	1,417
Services to buildings and dwellings	418	13	1.93×More than typical	2,257	$46,046	1,072
Building equipment contractors	388	12.1	2.01×More than typical	3,107	$79,647	594
Full-service restaurants	345	10.8	1.40×More than typical	8,431	$30,758	28
Construction of buildings	343	10.7	1.42×More than typical	1,880	$78,268	924
Lessors of real estate	323	10.1	0.82×About typical	1,306	$62,731	4,205
Limited-service restaurants	301	9.4	1.17×About typical	4,000	$26,036	37
Landscaping services	274	8.6	2.44×More than typical	1,268	$57,944	435
Automotive repair and maintenance	267	8.3	1.65×More than typical	1,396	$60,511	306
Personal care services	252	7.9	1.65×More than typical	1,405	$32,312	1,144

Rank places for an industry Open Rockingham County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 320,441 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $308.5M of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: $13,682 per resident (US $2,008).

Obligations: $308.5M; −14% vs FY2025
Per resident: $13,682; US $2,008
Sole-source: 6.9%; US 30%
Single offer: 2.4%; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$201.3M65%
Internal Revenue Service$36.5M12%
Defense Logistics Agency$33.9M11%
Department of the Navy$20.1M6.5%
Department of Veterans Affairs$6.6M2.1%
Department of State$2.4M0.8%
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration$2.2M0.7%
Agency for International Development$1.7M0.6%

Top recipients

SIG SAUER INC.$203.4M66%
IRON MOUNTAIN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT LLC$40.1M13%
PORT CITY AIR$23.5M7.6%
TELEDYNE INSTRUMENTS INC$19.9M6.5%
P.A.R. PRODUCTS CO$5.7M1.8%

Spending by fiscal year

27.9MFY2017
53MFY2018
138.4MFY2019
60.3MFY2020
81.5MFY2021
149.1MFY2022
143.8MFY2023
222.5M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other fabricated metal product manufacturing · 3329$204.6M66%
Warehousing and storage · 4931$40M13%
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing · 3241$24.2M7.8%
Electrical equipment manufacturing · 3353$14.1M4.6%
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing · 3345$5.5M1.8%
Other electrical equipment and component manufacturing · 3359$5.2M

Part of this section could not be loaded in time.

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 10, 2026, loaded Oct 10, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, so they do not add up across cities.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire's figures are part of those of Rockingham County, NH ($592.3M in FY2026), never added to them: 52% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Portsmouth is mostly in Rockingham County.

See federal money in Rockingham County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Rockingham County98100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH89

Other cities and towns in Rockingham County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/3362900

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends