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City Housing Verdict

Portsmouth, NH

High Pressure

Living in Portsmouth, NH costs about 65% more than the national average (Cost Index: 165). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $775,217 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $105,756, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Portsmouth already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 20% rent burden, 7.3x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 256. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Portsmouth.

Monthly Housing
$1,778/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
20%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$6,535/mo
After housing and debt · $2,178/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 26%
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Cost Index
165
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$775,217
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $640,600
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,778/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$105,756
National: $78,538
Population
22,332
Purchasing Power
82
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
256 / 100
~2.6x more expensive
Rent Index
132 / 100
32% above average
Goods & Groceries
100 / 100
About the same as most US cities
Utilities
149 / 100
49% higher utility bills
Healthcare & Services
104 / 100
In line with national average
Overall Index
165
Very Expensive · 65% above average

Portsmouth Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $775,217 and New Hampshire's property tax rate of 1.86%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$105,756
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
20%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
7.3x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Portsmouth looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Portsmouth, NH

Est. Annual Property Tax
$14,419
Monthly Impact
$1,202
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
1.86%
National avg: ~1.00%

New Hampshire Place Tax Context

Tax TypeNew HampshireNational Avg
Property Tax Rate1.86%1.00%
Top Income Tax RateNo State Income Tax~5.0%
State Sales TaxNo Sales Tax~5.0%

Compare Portsmouth to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Portsmouth, NH
165
132
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Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Portsmouth, NH: 256
Rent Prices
132

FAQ: Living in Portsmouth

Is Portsmouth, NH an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Portsmouth is about 65% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 165. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $775,217, and monthly rents average roughly $1,778. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Portsmouth fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,778, while local median household income is $105,756. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 20% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Portsmouth, NH?+

New Hampshire is one of the few states with no state income tax, which can save residents thousands of dollars per year. The effective property tax rate is 1.86%. On a home worth $775,217, that translates to roughly $14,419 per year in property taxes. There is no state sales tax.

How much does it cost to rent in Portsmouth, NH?+

The typical monthly rent in Portsmouth is around $1,778. That's about 32% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $775,217, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Portsmouth, NH?+

The median home in Portsmouth is valued at $775,217. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $3,920/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 52% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Portsmouth?+

Grocery prices in Portsmouth are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 100, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are on the high side (index: 149). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Portsmouth, NH like to live in?+

Portsmouth is a small town with a population of about 22,332. The median age of residents is 42.4, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 5.5%, well below the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in New Hampshire

If Portsmouth feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in New Hampshire

Use these city pages when you want to compare Portsmouth against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly