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CITY · 2010 ACS

Portsmouth

New Hampshire · 20,779 residents · 15.7 sq mi
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The short version

With 20,779 people, Portsmouth is a city in New Hampshire. This is an unusually credentialed place: 49% of adults have a four-year degree. 51% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $317,800, having more than doubled since 2000. The median age is 40.3, about 3 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 6%.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 40.3
US median: 37.2
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 53%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

20,779
Unchangedsince 2000
from 20,784 in 2000
1990 – 2025
40.3
+5%since 2000
from 38.5 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
15.7 sq mi
Population, 19902024
20K22K23K25K26K19902000201020202024Portsmouth
202423K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 54.7%(975)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 94.9%(1,012)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 144.5%(930)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 193.9%(805)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.3%(1,318)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3418.1%(3,762)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4414.1%(2,931)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414.8%(3,065)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6412.9%(2,676)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 747.3%(1,523)
US avg: 7%
75 to 845.8%(1,201)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.8%(581)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$62,191
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,195 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$36,823
+34%since 2000
from $27,540 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
40.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 40.4% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
8.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 9.3% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.422
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information12.1%
US avg: 11.5%
Retail trade10%
US avg: 10.9%
Other services8.6%
US avg: 7%
Public administration7%
US avg: 4.9%
Wholesale trade5.3%
US avg: 7.2%
Transportation & warehousing2.9%
US avg: 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2.9%
US avg: 2.4%
Finance & insurance2.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical1.9%
US avg: 4.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.4%
Education & health services0.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$317,800
+53%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $164,500 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$1,062
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $727 in 2000
US average: $853
51.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 50.0% in 2000
48.7% rent
6.8%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.07 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.14 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
36.4%
+2.8 ptssince 2009
from 33.6% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
46.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 47.3% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
5.1
−3%since 2009
from 5.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic92.7%(19,263)
Black2%(416)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(280)
Asian2.4%(507)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic89.8%(18,658)
Black1.6%(326)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(573)
Asian3.5%(718)
Other0.7%(150)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.6%(120)
Puerto Rican0.3%(62)
Dominican0.3%(62)
Argentine0.3%(56)
Spaniard0.2%(41)
Peruvian0.1%(19)
Cuban0.1%(18)
Ecuadorian0.1%(16)
Ancestry
Irish26%(5,456)
English21.1%(4,416)
German12.3%(2,586)
French12.2%(2,550)
Italian12%(2,523)
Scottish5.7%(1,198)
Polish5.5%(1,157)
American4.4%(915)
Scotch-Irish2.8%(594)
Greek2.7%(558)
Swedish1.5%(324)
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data
Canadian1.3%(266)
Welsh1.3%(264)
Russian1.2%(257)
Norwegian0.9%(181)
Dutch0.8%(159)
British0.7%(152)
Portuguese0.7%(144)
Lithuanian0.6%(123)
Ukrainian0.6%(118)
Danish0.3%(66)
Finnish0.3%(66)
Czech0.2%(51)
Arab0.2%(50)
Syrian0.1%(30)
Hungarian0.1%(30)
Belgian0.1%(29)
Ethiopian0.1%(28)
Swiss0.1%(23)
West Indian0.1%(23)
Israeli0.1%(22)
Brazilian0.1%(20)
Nigerian0.1%(16)
Lebanese0%(10)
Jamaican0%(10)
Slovak0%(9)
Section 05

Education

48.7%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 41.9% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
96.4%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 91.4% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
17.7%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

20.1 min
+28%since 2000
from 15.7 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
82.4%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 83.8% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
3.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
1.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
5.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
5.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
1.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
5.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

11.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
43.8%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 46.3% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

48.9%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
51.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 51.1% in 2009
5.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
9.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married38.8%(3,813)
Married47.4%(4,666)
Widowed2.5%(246)
Divorced11.3%(1,109)
Women 15+
Never married30.8%(3,050)
Married46.2%(4,573)
Widowed10.8%(1,069)
Divorced12.1%(1,197)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

4.7%
−5.4 ptssince 2013
from 10.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
67.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 68.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 15.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
21.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 20.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
6.9%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 9.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
82.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 83.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
27.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 27.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)11.1%(139)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)9.8%(122)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era49.7%(620)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0.8%(10)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(7)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,247 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Portsmouth, New Hampshire?

Portsmouth, New Hampshire has about 20,779 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Portsmouth, New Hampshire?

The typical household in Portsmouth, New Hampshire earns about $62,191 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Portsmouth, New Hampshire expensive?

In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the median home is worth about $317,800, and the typical rent is about $1,062 a month.

How educated are people in Portsmouth, New Hampshire?

About 48.7% of adults age 25 and over in Portsmouth, New Hampshire hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Portsmouth, New Hampshire?

About 8.7% of people in Portsmouth, New Hampshire live below the federal poverty line.

Has Portsmouth, New Hampshire grown since 1990?

Yes, Portsmouth, New Hampshire has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 5,146 residents, a change of about -20 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →