Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Portsmouth, NH

    Is Portsmouth a good place to live?

    Watch Portsmouth

    Portsmouth ranks #2 of 6 New Hampshire cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (70/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.9% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $640,600
    +7.8% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,778
    per month
    Household income
    $105,756
    median
    Unemployment
    2.1%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Portsmouth

    The median home value in Portsmouth is $640,600 and median rent is $1,778 a month, against a median household income of $105,756. Homes cost about 6.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Portsmouth crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across New Hampshire the 2025 rate was 119 violent and 829 property crimes per 100,000 people — #49 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Portsmouth, NH

    Portsmouth has about 22,332 residents, 2.1% unemployment and 42% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Portsmouth with

    Portsmouth vs ManchesterPortsmouth vs NashuaPortsmouth vs ConcordPortsmouth vs DoverPortsmouth vs Rochester

    More: Where to move in New Hampshire · Best counties in New Hampshire

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report