Portsmouth, NH Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Portsmouth, NH Summary

Cost of living in Portsmouth research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Portsmouth is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Hampshire, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Portsmouth is 128, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Portsmouth is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Portsmouth ranks as the #24 cheapest in New Hampshire out of 25.

  • Portsmouth ranks as the #5,183 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Portsmouth is $487,900.

  • The median income in Portsmouth is $91,915.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
128
Portsmouth's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Portsmouth, NH?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portsmouth has an overall cost of living index of 128, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Hampshire, Portsmouth has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than New Hampshire's index of 114.

The standard of living in Portsmouth ranks as #24 most affordable out of the 25 places we measured in New Hampshire. By definition, that implies Portsmouth ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Granite State.

For more reading on life in Portsmouth, check out:

24 out of 25
In New Hampshire
5,183 out of 6,412
In America

Portsmouth Cost Of Living Vs. New Hampshire

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Portsmouth. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Portsmouth is 110.

  • The Groceries index in Portsmouth is 100.

  • The Health index in Portsmouth is 112.

  • The Housing index in Portsmouth is 171.

  • The Transportation index in Portsmouth is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Portsmouth is 112.

Living Expense Portsmouth New Hampshire National Average
Overall 128 114 100
Services 110 123 100
Groceries 100 102 100
Health 112 124 100
Housing 171 108 100
Transportation 96 110 100
Utilities 112 122 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Hampshire, check out:
Portsmouth Cost of Living Vs. NH

Portsmouth, NH Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Hampshire, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Portsmouth is $487,900.

  • The Median Rent in Portsmouth is $1,499.

  • The Median Income in Portsmouth is $91,915.

  • The Home Value To Income in Portsmouth is 5.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Portsmouth is 0.2x.

Statistic Portsmouth New Hampshire United States
Median Home Value $487,900 $288,700 $244,900
Median Rent $1,499 $1,212 $1,163
Median Income $91,915 $83,449 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.3x 3.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.17x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Portsmouth, NH
$487,900
Median Home Value
$1,499
Median Rent
$91,915
Median Income

Portsmouth, NH Costs By Category

Detailed Portsmouth Services Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Portsmouth New Hampshire
Shampoo $0.98 $1.06
Movie $8.77 $10.68
Bowling $19.0 $14.67
Haircut $25.03 $18.62
Beauty Salon $41.18 $39.05

Detailed Portsmouth Groceries Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Portsmouth New Hampshire
Ground Beef $3.49 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.19 $1.39
Milk $2.79 $2.05
Potatoes $3.41 $3.29
Pizza $11.09 $10.62
Beer $8.99 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.64 $2.34

Detailed Portsmouth Health Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Portsmouth New Hampshire
Optometrist $101.89 $108.57
Doctor $152.49 $116.17
Dentist $121.64 $99.13

Detailed Portsmouth Transportation Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Portsmouth New Hampshire
Gasoline $2.0 $2.22
Tire Balancing $51.84 $50.07

Detailed Portsmouth Utilities Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Portsmouth New Hampshire
All Electricity $205.73 $167.67
Phone $179.98 $175.64

Portsmouth SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
6
Safety
8
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Portsmouth

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Portsmouth. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Dover, NH has a cost of living index of 113, 0.9x Portsmouth.

  • Rochester, NH has a cost of living index of 104, 0.8x Portsmouth.

  • Newburyport, MA has a cost of living index of 137, 1.1x Portsmouth.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Portsmouth
Dover, NH 32,599 113 0.9x
Rochester, NH 32,317 104 0.8x
Newburyport, MA 18,282 137 1.1x
Somersworth, NH 11,964 102 0.8x
Durham, NH 11,616 121 0.9x
Exeter, NH 9,908 110 0.9x
Hampton, NH 9,900 124 1.0x
Newmarket, NH 5,621 108 0.8x
Kittery, ME 5,335 120 0.9x

Articles About New Hampshire

Enjoy The Snack?