How Home Prices Vary Across the NH Seacoast

Hunter Letendre
Jan 15
3 min read

Home prices across the New Hampshire Seacoast vary significantly by town, largely driven by population density, employment centers, coastal access, and proximity to services. In Winter 2026, prices are highest in core population hubs such as Portsmouth and Dover, moderate in surrounding towns like Exeter, and lower as you move farther inland or toward more rural areas.

This pattern follows a clear and predictable market principle. Housing prices tend to peak where jobs, infrastructure, and amenities are concentrated, then gradually decrease as distance from those centers increases. The NH Seacoast provides a clear example of this dynamic in action.

What Is the Average Home Price in Major NH Seacoast Towns?

Portsmouth

Average Home Price: $975,000
Why Prices Are High: Dense population, strong employment base, walkability, historic housing stock, and waterfront access

Portsmouth consistently ranks as the most expensive Seacoast market due to limited inventory and sustained demand.

Dover

Average Home Price: $525,000
Why Prices Are Moderate: Larger housing supply, active downtown, major employment hub without coastal pricing premiums

Dover represents a key population center where prices remain accessible relative to coastal towns.

Exeter

Average Home Price: $625,000
Why Prices Are Stable: Desirable school district, commuter access, traditional New England downtown

Exeter sits just outside the Seacoast core and reflects a balance between demand and available housing.

Hampton

Average Home Price: $565,000
Why Prices Vary: Mix of seasonal properties, condos, and year-round homes with ocean proximity

Pricing in Hampton depends heavily on location and housing type.

Why Are Population Centers More Expensive?

Population centers concentrate the factors that drive home values:

Employment opportunities
Transportation infrastructure
Retail, dining, and healthcare access
Limited developable land

In the NH Seacoast, Portsmouth and Dover serve as economic anchors. As a result, buyers are willing to pay a premium for proximity to these hubs.

How Do Prices Change Moving Away From the Seacoast?

As you move away from population centers, home prices typically decline:

Near-Seacoast towns like Stratham and Greenland average between $780,000 and $830,000 due to proximity without density
West of Manchester pricing drops as commute distances increase and services spread out
North of the Lakes Region prices decline further, reflecting rural characteristics, lower density, and limited job concentration

This gradient explains why similarly sized homes can differ in value by hundreds of thousands of dollars across relatively short distances.

What Role Does Commute and Accessibility Play in Pricing?

Accessibility remains a major pricing driver:

Easy access to I-95 and Route 101 supports higher values
Rail and highway proximity attract commuters to Boston and regional employers
Towns with longer commute times typically experience lower price ceilings

Understanding this relationship helps buyers evaluate long-term value beyond just list price.

How Buyers and Sellers Should Interpret These Differences

For buyers, moving slightly outside population centers can result in meaningful savings without sacrificing livability. For sellers, pricing accuracy depends on understanding where a property falls within the regional demand curve, not just town averages.

This is where local expertise matters. Seacoast pricing is not uniform, and small geographic shifts can have outsized impacts on value.

Key Takeaways on NH Seacoast Home Prices

Prices peak in dense population centers like Portsmouth
Values moderate in towns such as Dover and Exeter
Prices decline steadily moving inland and rural
Proximity to jobs and infrastructure drives long-term value

Final Thoughts

Understanding NH Seacoast home prices requires more than comparing town averages. It means recognizing how population centers, infrastructure, and geography shape value across the region.

If you are considering buying or selling anywhere along the Seacoast or beyond, connect with me, Hunter Letendre, REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty, serving New Hampshire, Maine, and Northern Massachusetts. As an expert in the area, I help clients interpret local market dynamics so they can make confident, well-informed real estate decisions.